Pirates survive cold start and edge out Vaqueros, 71-66

COSTA MESA -- After shooting lights out just 24 hours earlier, the Orange Coast College women's basketball team looked in the dark early on, but the Pirates turned things around and found a way to pull out a 71-66 win over visiting Glendale College on Saturday night inside the Peterson Gym.

Ashari Cassell led the unbeaten Pirates (8-0) with 19 points, seven assists and five steals, while Bridgette McIntyre added 16 points and five rebounds. Jordan Arreola and Sabrina Lopez each had 14 points, with Arreola nabbing four steals and Lopez pulling down six rebounds. 

Glendale (5-2), which came out on fire early and didn't let up, was led by Malia Ulery with 17 points, Paola Gorgeiz with 15 points and Osanna Tirityan with 12 points. The Vaqueros shot 60% from 3-point range (9-of-15) and their hot shooting early on gave the guests hope all the way down to the final minute of play.

The Vaqueros grabbed the early lead at 11-3 and led all the way through the first quarter, carrying a 21-15 advantage after the opening 10 minutes.

Coast clamped down on defense and held Glendale to just 10 second-quarter points to grab a 34-31 advantage at the half. After shooting 8-of-16 from the floor in the first quarter, Glendale was held to just 4-of-13 shooting in the second.

Both teams traded leads in the third quarter, but a late OCC run put the Pirates up 52-49 heading into the fourth.

Glendale refused to go away and after a made jumper by Patil Yaacoubian, the Vaqueros trailed by just one point (67-66) with 1:15 remaining in the game.

But on OCC's next possession, a missed Cassell layup was picked up by Lopez, who pushed past her defender and scored with 56 seconds remaining to put the Pirates up 69-66.

The Pirate defense shut Glendale on its next possession and after some fouls to stop the clock, McIntyre stepped up with 11 seconds left and nailed a pair of clutch free throws to put the game away.

OCC's next home game will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 13 against Long Beach City College, beginning at 5 p.m.