Sea Lion season comes to an end at nationals

Sophomore center Colleen Planeta shoots over a defender in PLNU’s 60-41 first-round win against Robert Morris on March 20. Planeta earned first team NAIA All-American honors after the tournament. The Sea Lions were eliminated by Loyola in the second round. Photo courtesy Jorge De La Torre

They had waited three years for redemption. After losing in the first nationals round for two seasons, the Lady Sea Lions won their first tournament game on March 20, a 60-41 victory over No. 8 Robert Morris.

The core group of seniors on the team—Kerra Sutton-Wodarski, Brittney Dove, Angela Manjarrez, Meghan McGuire and Kati Hilbelink—had been anticipating the win for a long time.

“Last year’s loss at nationals left a bitter taste in our mouths,” said McGuire. “All season long, we were just waiting to get back to Tennessee so that we could redeem ourselves.”

This year’s trip to Jackson, Tenn., was probably the most memorable for the seniors, considering it was their last. The celebration was short-lived though, as the top-seeded Sea Lions were upset by fourth-seeded Loyola University (La.), 71-64, in the second round. Loyola used a barrage of three-pointers to outscore the Sea Lions, ending PLNU’s season at 29-3.

The Sea Lions entered the national tournament as one of the favorites, but fell well short of their ultimate goal. Conference rival Vanguard, a team the Sea Lions defeated three times this season, went on to claim the national title.

“Losing was a shock to us,” said Dove. “Many, including us, thought we would go much farther than we did, but I don’t think that should take away from the amazing season we had.”

As the senior Sea Lions left the court after losing to Loyola and playing their last college basketball game, they made the most of their last trip and visited the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.

“This is where Martin Luther King Jr. got shot,” said Manjarrez. “But being there together, from different ethnicities, was very memorable.”

Though the second-round loss still lingers behind them, the seniors are focusing on their futures. Many plan on playing some sort of organized basketball, either in recreational leagues or abroad.

Manjarrez, for example, hopes to play overseas in Germany.
“It was an amazing year,” said McGuire. “I couldn’t have imagined a better [season] or a better team to finish my career with.”