GIRLS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Freshman Leads University Victory

Not even Costa Mesa Coach Len Whitacre’s best plans could help his team avoid its second straight loss after 32 consecutive Pacific Coast League victories.

University got a career-high 19 points from freshman Monique Mathews and scored a 44-39 victory Tuesday over the visiting Mustangs.

University (12-4, 3-0 in league), a first-year member of the league, leads Costa Mesa (12-5, 2-2) and Estancia by two games in the loss column and has already beaten second-place Laguna Hills.

After losing the streak to Estancia--falling behind by 10 points early and losing by five, 50-45--Whitacre put his best offensive players on the floor so the Mustangs wouldn’t dig themselves another big hole.

Instead, University led 17-5 after Costa Mesa went more than eight minutes without scoring. It was so bad for the Mustangs that Koo Kim (10 points), a 37% three-point shooter, finished two for 12 from beyond the arc. Chanel Anderson had a team-high 12 points.

University had 15 first-half turnovers and 28 overall, but Costa Mesa shot only 22% (13 for 58).

University shot 48% (19 of 40).

Still, the game had drama. Costa Mesa cut the lead to four points in the third quarter, and, after falling behind by 10, cut the lead to five, 42-37, with 2:13 to go. The rally effectively ended after Heather Snavely’s steal, and then Mathews scored off a nifty pass inside from Raschelle Lawrence with 1:15 left.