Women’s Basketball Collected Slew of Impressive Wins in 2022-23

 It was quite the winter for the 2022-23 Caltech women’s basketball team, who earned massive wins en route to achieving one of the strongest seasons in program history. On top of reaching its second-highest win total ever, last year’s squad also earned its second-most conference wins, falling just one victory short of tying the all-time school record.

The team picked up three tough nonconference wins and five versus league opponents in the always-competitive Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC). The group also pushed two teams to overtime before ultimately falling in both contests.

First-year head coach Annie Tarakchian‘s squad grabbed its first win on Nov. 15 as they took on the Flames of Bethesda University at home. It was a massive win for the Beavers, who dominated every quarter on the way to the 82-46 victory.

Sophomore guard-forward Kathryn Edwards led all players in points, rebounds, and assists; the standout scored 21 points on top of 12 rebounds and five dimes in just 25 minutes of action. The standout also added one block and a steal to help the squad to its first victory.

Caltech collected its second win a few days later as the group topped the team from Whitworth University, 54-48, in a neutral site clash. After going down by five points at the end of the first quarter, the Beavers battled back throughout the course of the second to go ahead 25-19 as the halftime buzzer sounded. The Pirates tied it up at 36-36 as the two squads entered the final period, where Caltech scored a blazing 18 points to notch the victory.

It was senior forward Sahana Saikumar who delivered the game’s highest scoring punch, as the veteran put in 20 points to go with four boards, a pair of assists, two blocks and a steal. Sophomore guard Kodie Vondra led the Beavers on the glass and in disrupting the Pirates’ passing lanes; the Montana native would finish the night with nine rebounds and four steals in her 38 minutes of action.

The group’s victory against Whitworth would begin an incredible four-game win streak for the Beavers, who next would top Chapman University, 82-61, in Caltech’s first conference matchup of the season. It was a monumental victory for the program — not only due to the score, but because it was the program’s first-ever win against the Panthers. The team’s 82 points tied their season-high, achieved a few weeks earlier in their win over Bethesda.

It was another massive game for Sahana Saikumar, who electrified the home crowd with a season-high in points (25) on a solid 8-for-15 shooting. The standout made it a double-double as she secured 12 rebounds in addition to blocking three shots. Saikumar led all players in all three categories.

Edwards recorded a double-double herself with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Vondra led the way in assists (six). All eight Beavers who entered the game recorded points.

Tarakchian was incredibly proud of how her team performed so strongly against the Panthers.

“We are so good together,” said Tarakchian after the game. “I’m confident in this team, and they’re finally starting to be confident in themselves too, which is what makes all the difference.”

The Beavers would make it three-in-a-row as the squad nabbed a 61-54 victory over Whittier College in another home matchup. This time it was Vondra leading the team in scoring with 20; Saikumar logged another double-double with 17 points and a season-high 15 rebounds.

Much of the team’s offense flowed through junior guard Milan Robinson, who added a career-high seven assists as she helped command the team to the victory.

The squad faced a nonconference opponent in their fourth straight win as the Beavers clashed with Lewis & Clark College at home, where the team cruised to the 62-47 victory. Caltech won all four quarters en route to the victory. Vondra scored 24; junior forward Claire Perhach led the way in rebounds (10).

After dropping a heartbreaking overtime thriller to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, the team hosted Pomona-Pitzer for an exhilarating forty minutes of basketball. Three Beavers reached double-digits in scoring, with Vondra (24), Edwards (16) and senior guard Faith Pinney (12) leading the way as the team defeated the Sagehens, 61-53.

The squad would narrowly lose another overtime contest later in the month as Caltech battled the first-place and eventual conference championship finalist University of La Verne Leopards. Despite the defeat, the Beavers pushed La Verne to the brink, limiting the team to just 48 points in regulation.

Caltech would go on to sweep the season series versus Whittier as Caltech bested the Poets 61-51 in a Feb. 15 matchup on the road. A career-high from Vondra in points (25) helped the Beavers to the victory. The star also sunk a career-high in threes, making an incredible five deep shots on eight attempts. Pinney led the way in rebounds with 12 – a career-high.

Caltech hosted rival Occidental College in the team’s final contest of the season after honoring its graduating members with a Senior Day ceremony prior to the opening tip. The game was a scoring bonanza for Edwards, who recorded a blazing 29 points – the most of any Beaver this season – to lead the Beavers to the 74-69 win. The Colorado native went 8-for-13 on two-pointers and 4-for-8 from deep in addition to bringing down five boards, dishing two assists and blocking a shot.

Edwards finished the season fourth in the conference in points per game (16.6/g). The standout earned First Team All-SCIAC honors and was named the team MVP.

The Beavers led all SCIAC teams in steals per game; they averaged 9.9 per contest in conference play.

The team will return the majority of its roster for the 2023-24 season after losing just two seniors to graduation this past June. The Beavers begin their campaign on Friday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. in a home matchup versus Westcliff.

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