Northridge Women Put End to 25-Game Losing Streak

As difficult as it might be to wipe out a season’s worth of frustration in one game, the Cal State Northridge women’s basketball team all but achieved the feat Friday night.

Northridge, winless in 21 previous attempts and fighting a 25-game losing streak dating to last season, posted a 77-65 victory over Chapman before 276 die-hard fans at Matador Gym.

“When you go 0-21, sometimes you have personal doubts,” said Northridge Coach Kim Chandler, who earned her first career victory since taking over the team Dec. 12. “(But) we talk about believing and tonight they knew they were going to get it done.”

As far as Northridge players are concerned, Friday marked the start of new era in Matador basketball.

“It’s a start and there’s no turning back,” said Northridge senior forward Shagarro Lattin, who finished with 19 points and nine rebounds.

Said Matador senior guard Christine Rumfola, who added 11 points: “I think we had our crumbling and now we’re coming together.”

The win might have come at the expense of a sub-.500 Division II team, but that mattered little to the Northridge, which turned in its best effort of the season after not playing in 13 days.

Despite committing 38 turnovers, Northridge opened a comfortable 41-25 lead by halftime and led by as many as 26 points in the second half behind the offense of Lattin and junior center Roz Linton (16 points, 10 rebounds).

Fittingly, the end didn’t come without a scare as Chapman (9-12) cut the lead to 73-65 on back-to-back three-point shots with 51 seconds to play.

But Northridge wasn’t about to let this one slip away and reserve Janine Caldwell hit two free throws with one second to play to break the team’s previous season-high point total by one.

Moments after the buzzer sounded, the Matadors gathered at midcourt for a long-awaited victory meeting.

“We just screamed at the top of our lungs, ‘We won a game,’ ” Lattin said.

Friday’s game marked the team’s first victory in Matador Gym since Feb. 2, 1991, when CSUN defeated Southern Utah, 76-75.

“I think that was the most support we’ve had all season,” Linton said of the enthusiastic crowd. “We knew we had to come in tonight and get the ‘W.’ ”

Melody Earle (19 points) and Marvette Williams (18) led Chapman. Sandi Olson had eight rebounds for the Matadors.