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Moorpark Women Gun Down Valley

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

For the Moorpark College women’s basketball team, having a deep bench would be like putting in a swimming pool for a beachfront property--a luxury, but not really necessary.

Moorpark had just six players available against deep and talented Valley on Tuesday night but needed no others in a 79-69 victory at Moorpark.

All six Moorpark players scored, but the troika of Kerrie Marshall, 25 points and eight rebounds; Angie Long, 22 and 21; and Amy Chandler, 22 points and 10 assists; carried the load.

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“Angie Long, that was the best game she’s played since she’s been here,” Moorpark Coach Gary Abraham said.

Moorpark’s bench was stretched to its limits when Marshall’s flu caught up with her and she dashed from the floor in the first half. Marshall revved back up after the intermission, scoring eight of Moorpark’s first 10 points.

After trailing, 43-40, at halftime, Valley went extremely cold in the second half, shooting less than 30% from the field.

“Our shot selection was questionable,” Valley Coach Doug Michelson said.

Valley (5-1) tied the score, 56-56, with about 12 minutes remaining, but Moorpark (9-1) went on a 14-2 run over the next six minutes to take a 70-58 lead. Valley could pull no closer than eight points thereafter.

Chandler, a transfer from Cal Lutheran, scored Moorpark’s last seven points, including five of six free throws in the last minute and a half.

Reserve Claudia Rocha led Valley with 19 points. Tisa Rush made three three-point shots in the first half and scored 13 points, but she missed her last 13 shots. Wendy Bruse scored 12, and Katina Mines added 10, all in the second half.

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Stacie Toon, Valley’s starting center, did not dress because of a knee injury.

Although the game matched Western State Conference teams, the coaches had different interpretations of whether it was a conference game. Under changes instituted this season, WSC teams qualify for the state playoffs based on their division records.

Therefore, although the game between Southern Division Valley and Northern Division Moorpark had no bearing on state playoff berths, it could influence which team earns the WSC’s No. 1 seeding in the tournament.

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