Harvard-Westlake Holds Off Chaminade

This time it was different.

The Harvard-Westlake High girls’ basketball team didn’t race out to a 30-point halftime lead as happened in the first meeting with Chaminade on Jan. 4.

The Wolverines didn’t even score 30 points in the first half.

On Thursday night they had to settle for a 45-40 victory over the Eagles in a battle for first place in the Mission League at Chaminade.

If the Eagles (16-3, 4-2) were searching for respect, they certainly found it.

Unlike the first league meeting three weeks ago, won by the Wolverines, 57-36, Chaminade kept it close from the beginning.

Harvard-Westlake (18-5, 6-0), ranked No. 3 in the region by The Times, never led by more than 10 points, and that wasn’t until early in the fourth quarter.

“I expected [Chaminade] to come out more confident and they did,” Wolverine Coach Melissa Hearlihy said. “I think the first time they were a little shell-shocked.”

Chaminade Coach Kelli DiMuro said she studied the tape of the first game for hours preparing for the rematch.

The Eagles finished with 15 turnovers, but DiMuro was encouraged with her team’s performance.

“We beat their zone and beat their press this time,” she said. “That was the difference. We’re a young team and we were much more patient this time.”

Chaminade does not have a senior on its roster.

The Wolverines, who had to settle for a 21-16 halftime lead, watched the Eagles get as close as 36-35 on a layup by Elizabeth Trent with 7:10 remaining.

The difference might have been guard Lyndsey Medders, who scored all 10 of her points in the second half.

“My teammates played better defense in the second half,” Medders said. “That’s what kept us in it.”

Erin Stepheson had nine points and Karina Siam finished with seven points and 11 rebounds for the Wolverines.

Trent had 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Christina Zdenek had 15 points for Chaminade.