Pirates grind out 66-57 win over rival Lasers

COSTA MESA -- The Orange Coast College women's basketball team found a way to win another tough contest in a very tough Orange Empire Conference as the Pirates toppled rival Irvine Valley, 66-57 on Friday night inside the Peterson Gym.

Meghan McIntyre had 23 points for the state No. 3-ranked Pirates (22-1, 6-1 in the OEC) to go along with eight rebounds and 10 assists. Gabby Sammiy added 17 points, while Savannah Seiler battled a bigger IVC front court and notched nine points and nine rebounds. Annie Trinh tossed in nine points, while Karina Cabrera contributed six points and a team-best four steals.

Kennedy Pucci led the 17th-ranked Lasers (16-7, 4-3) with 24 points, while Trasara Alexander added 11.

After IVC jumped out to a 14-12 lead after one quarter of play, Coast picked things up in the second quarter and led at the break, 37-31. McIntyre and Samiy did most of the heavy lifting in that quarter, scoring 22 of OCC's 25 second-quarter points.

It was a grind for both teams in the third as a 10-10 stalemate kept OCC's advantage at six with one quarter to go.

Early in the third, IVC got to within a pair after a made 3-pointer from Emily Freeman, but Coast ripped off eight points in a row to pull away once again. Cabrera, who was hounded throughout the game by the IVC defense found a little daylight and banged in a 3-pointer to cap off the 8-0 run and put OCC in front, 56-46.

IVC threatened down the stretch and got to within four (58-54), but the OCC offense found just enough success down the stretch to hold the Lasers off the rest of the way.

Coast found success from the foul line in the fourth, hitting 12-of-17 from the charity stripe and finished the game a solid 21-of-29 from the FT line.

The win keeps the Pirates atop the OEC standings with Cypress (18-5, 6-1), who toppled Santa Ana on Friday night. Both teams have a two-game lead on IVC and Riverside as the conference schedule kicks off its second round of play.

OCC will return to action Wednesday at Fullerton College, beginning at 5 p.m. The Pirates will return to the Peterson Gym on Tuesday, Feb. 14 against Santa Ana, beginning at 5 p.m.