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Jan 7, 2008

Zilbert's Double-Double Leads Poets Past Grinnell


Kourtney Zilbert '11 posted her second double-double of the season to lead Whittier College to a 66-52 win over Grinnell College in the Graham Athletics Center on January 7.  Zilbert scored a game-high 19 points and pulled down 12 rebounds as the Poets improve their record to 4-6 heading into conference play.

Seven of Zilbert's 12 rebounds came on the offensive end.  She also led the defense with three steals.  Christa Rainville '08 came off the bench to score 16 points, grab six rebounds and block three shots for the Poets.  Morgan Sabala '11 hit a pair of three-pointers and finished with ten points and five rebounds.  Rosario Rios-Aguilar '08 scored eight points and was credited with a season-high six assists. 

The lone Pioneer with double figures in the scoring column was Hannah Wolf with 16 points.  She also had seven rebounds and five assists.  Jessica Vaverka grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds for the Pioneers.

Grinnell took a 12-6 lead in the first five minutes of the game and led by as many as eight in the first half.  The Poets cut into the lead as the half came to a close, taking a one-point lead with twenty seconds left in the first after Rainville hit a jumper from the left baseline.  On the ensuing Pioneer possession, Wolf knocked down a jumper as time expired in the half to regain a 32-31 lead at the break.

An 11-3 run to start the second half gave the Poets a seven-point lead with thirteen minutes left in the game.  The teams traded the lead four times in the next eight minutes, until a lay-up by Essence Scott '11 gave the Poets a 51-50 lead with 5:29 remaining.  Whittier would never relinquish that lead, going 9-for-11 from the free throw line in the closing minutes to close the game on a 15-2 run. 

The Poets shot nearly 44% from the field, while holding Grinnell to just under 25% shooting in the game.  Whittier finished with a season-low 15 turnovers while forcing 19 from the Pioneers.   

The Poets begin play in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference on January 10 when they travel to the California Institute of Technology.  Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30pm.