MARAUDER WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM STILL UNDEFEATED FOLLOWING VICTORY AGAINST BARSTOW

Photo by Bruce Jacobsen

LANCASTER - It wasn't the prettiest effort of the season, but the Marauder women's basketball team will certainly take it.

The Marauders (12-12, 6-0) hit the .500 mark for the season for the first time this year after defeating Barstow College, 66-54, Saturday night at Marauder Gymnasium.

AVC was never really in an serious danger against the Vikings, forcing its opponent to commit 16 turnovers.

"This was one of those games where we did good things in spurts, but we have to have more consistency," AVC head coach Barry Green said. "We didn't rebound very well."

AVC shot 30 3-pointers and connected on 12 of those. 

"I want them to have a good feeling shooting the ball heading into the game against LA Valley," Green said. "We have to shoot the ball well against good teams. We're on a roll and everybody is feeling good."

Kaitilin Stephenson led the Marauders with 22 points and 13 rebounds. Makaela Manson finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, including five 3-pointers.

AVC won its sixth game in a row and seventh of its last eight after starting the season 4-10.

"This was a very interesting game. We should have blown them out," Manson said. "6-0 doesn't look too bad though. I think we let them get in our heads and we played down to their level. We can't let teams do that to us."

With the victory AVC remained atop the Western State Conference clinging to a one-game lead against LA Valley College, the team that the Marauders travel to on Wednesday night, which could determine the conference title.

The Marauders defeated the Monarchs 64-58 on Jan. 18 at Marauder Gymnasium.