Box Score SANTA BARBARA, Calif. --- The first six minutes and eight seconds of Saturday night's women's basketball at No. 2 Westmont were painful to watch as the sharpshooting Warriors worked a 14-3 advantage and seemed primed for a runaway victory over Biola Women's Basketball.
 
However, the resiliency of Head Coach Alan Nakamura's young squad was brilliant to end the first quarter and helped BU hang with Westmont throughout much of the night in what ended up as a 52-60 loss on the road. The eight point loss is a vast improvement from the 22-point loss last time these two teams met.
 
"Compared to the last time we played Westmont we are really improving as a team," said Tina Esbenshade. "Everyone is playing a part. We're really moving the ball well. Everyone is getting touches."
 
After falling to that 11-point deficit through the first two-thirds of the first period Biola caught fire and scored the final 10 points of the first quarter to make it 14-13 going into quarter two.
 
It was a team effort to draw the game close once again as the Eagles got points from Danielle Kennedy, DeMoria White, Jessica Shill and Tina Esbenshade throughout that 10-point run.
 
"I like how our team feels like a family. We really pull for each other. We're there for each other," said Esbenshade.
 
The second and third quarters saw the teams trade shots blow for blow as neither team led by more than three points at any point and the lead changed hands or the game was tied a remarkable 19 different times.
 
The first three quarters were all about defense as both teams held their opponent to shooting percentages in the 30s and there with a combined 12 blocks in the game.
 
"Our team made good adjustments. They really worked together," said Nakamura. "I really appreciate our team. They are very coachable. This was a tough game against a tough opponent."
 
That opponent showed its true colors with a breakout fourth quarter that keyed the eventual eight-point win. The Warriors scored a game-high 21 points in the fourth quarter to expand its one-point third quarter lead.
 
Making the free throws down the stretch is really what helped carry Westmont to the win. The team took what was a three-point lead with just over a minute left and expanded it to the final thanks to 8-of-8 shooting from the charity stripe when it mattered most.
 
White ended the game as the Eagles' leading scorer. She was 6-of-12 from the floor for 16 total points. Senior guard Aubree Mittel did her best to keep the Eagles in the game down the stretch with nine second-half points, but it wasn't enough to overcome the home team in this one.
 
Sara Dougan ended the game with eight points, six rebounds and four blocks. She eclipsed three blocks for the 10^th time this season.
 
Biola drops to 13-14 (6-7 GSAC) with the loss and Westmont moves to 22-3 (11-1 GSAC) with the win. The Eagles get back into action with a game at Arizona Christian on Tuesday night.