College Team Wins First Game After 0-14 Start

After losing their first 14 games of the season, the Stanton University Lady Elks finally tasted victory Saturday night, defeating Pacific Union College 44-40 in their first-ever California Pacific Conference win.

The winless streak wasn't failure. It was strategy.

Coach deliberately scheduled powerhouse NCAA opponents to start the season, treating each loss as a training ground. The team faced elite competition night after night, absorbing lessons that would have taken years to learn otherwise.

Saturday night in Anaheim showed the payoff. Stanton's defense forced 26 turnovers and held Pacific Union to just 25 percent shooting from the field, playing with the discipline and intensity of a team twice their age.

Nicole Ros led the team with 17 points, hitting seven of eight free throws when the pressure peaked in the final minutes. Najharae Young dominated the paint with 11 points, 21 rebounds, and six blocks that erased any hope of a Pacific Union comeback.

Isabel Betancor came off the bench with fire, playing 29 minutes and contributing eight points, three steals, and three assists. Her energy shifted momentum when the game hung in the balance.

The Lady Elks trailed 11-9 after the first quarter but never wavered. They outscored Pacific Union 16-12 in the final frame, executing with the composure of veterans who had weathered storms together.

Why This Inspires

Every one of those 14 losses carried a lesson. While other teams padded their records against easier opponents, Stanton chose the harder path, knowing growth comes from challenge.

The young players could have crumbled under the weight of defeat after defeat. Instead, they showed up every practice, absorbed every coaching point, and trusted the process even when the scoreboard said they were failing.

Now at 1-1 in conference play, Stanton has signaled they're not just participating—they're competing. The foundation laid through adversity is already paying dividends, and this is only the beginning.

For every student athlete facing a tough season, every team rebuilding from scratch, and every person who's chosen the difficult path for long-term growth, the Lady Elks proved something powerful: sometimes you have to lose the right way before you can win.