Chargers Drop First Game in Conference

Irvine Valley pulled off a big road upset over the first place Chargers.

• Box Score
  

Jessica Romero

Cypress, Calif. - The Chargers were hoping to pull off a win on  a night when the player's and coach's honored their parents, but Irvine Valley crashed the party by pulling off a surprising 66-60 win over the Chargers (14-8, 4-1).

Cypress let the Lasers get off to a good start and were left playing catch up the rest of the game. A late run got the Chargers back in with only minutes left to play in regulation, but a few key buckets by IVC down the stretch, coupled with a few missed shot attempts by the Chargers, allowed the Lasers to hold on for the road upset.

Melissa Jensen led the Chargers with a team-high 15 points, that included a 9 for 11 effort from the free throw line. Jensen also had a team-high in rebounds with seven. Donna Ka' anoi and Tera Salhus led the Cypress defense with three steals apiece. Jessica Romero added eight points, while Jonell Bowers chipped in nine points on 4 of 8 shooting from the floor.

Cypress is now in a three-way tie for first place atop the Orange Empire Conference standing with Fullerton College and Irvine Valley.

The Chargers host Orange Coast next Wednesday in their final OEC league contest of the first half schedule.