Surprising Playoff Run Ends for Santa Clara Girls, 55-36

OXNARD —  A magical run in the playoffs ended Wednesday night for the Santa Clara High girls’ basketball team, which lost to No. 2-seeded Covina Western Christian, 55-36, in a Southern Section Division V-AA semifinal at Oxnard College.

The Lancers, who advanced to the championship game for the fourth consecutive season, were led by senior Jen Dyche, who had 28 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

“I was so pumped for the game, I wanted it to start at 5 o’clock,” Dyche said of the contest, which started at 7:30.

Santa Clara was led by 6-foot-3 sophomore Ashley Biggins, who had 21 points and 15 rebounds. The Saints (13-12) were cold from the field, hitting only 14 of 67 shots. Western Christian made 27 of 48 shots.

Trailing, 12-10, after the first quarter, Western Christian (23-4) took control in the second quarter with a 10-0 run. The Lancers led at halftime, 26-14.

Dyche and Jenny Tseny each scored six points in the second quarter for Western Christian.

Santa Clara cut its deficit to eight points midway through the third quarter on Jennifer Mullen’s three-point basket. Mullen finished with nine points, all on three-pointers.

Western Christian pulled away starting late in the third quarter. Dyche scored six points in the fourth quarter, when the Lancers outscored Santa Clara, 16-12.

“We played, well, not very good tonight,” said Sherri Cvijanovich, Santa Clara’s coach. “We came out a little tight tonight. We didn’t play the type of defense we’re capable of.”

Santa Clara, which entered the playoffs as a wild-card team, posted four victories before the run ended Wednesday. It marked the first time since 1989 that a Saint girls’ basketball team reached the semifinals.

Western Christian will play top-seeded Palos Verdes Chadwick for the championship.