Winless Team Wins First Game After 0-14 Start

Sometimes the best wins come after the hardest losses. The Stanton University Lady Elks walked off the court Saturday night with their first victory of the season, a hard-fought 44-40 triumph over Pacific Union College that ended a 14-game losing streak and marked the program's first-ever California Pacific Conference win.

The numbers looked rough on paper: 0-14 heading into the game. But those losses weren't failures. They were lessons against some of the toughest NCAA opponents in the country, deliberately scheduled to forge the young team into conference contenders.

Saturday night proved the strategy worked. Stanton forced 26 turnovers and held Pacific Union to just 25 percent shooting, playing their most complete defensive game of the year at Darling Pavilion in Anaheim.

Nicole Ros led the scoring with 17 points and sealed the victory at the free-throw line, sinking seven of eight attempts when it mattered most. Najharae Young dominated the paint with 11 points, 21 rebounds, and six blocks that shut down second-chance opportunities all night.

Isabel Betancor sparked the team off the bench with 29 energetic minutes, adding eight points, three steals, and three assists when momentum swung back and forth. After trailing 11-9 following the first quarter, the Lady Elks tightened their defense and closed strong, outscoring their opponents 16-12 in the final period.

Why This Inspires

This victory shows what happens when you choose growth over easy wins. Stanton University could have scheduled softer opponents and built a prettier record, but instead they chose the hard path, knowing that real strength comes from facing the best.

Those 14 losses taught the Lady Elks how to compete, how to defend, and how to believe in themselves even when the scoreboard didn't reflect their progress. Every tough game prepared them for this moment, when their growth finally translated into victory.

Now sitting at 1-1 in conference play, this young program has announced it belongs. The foundation has been laid, one challenging game at a time, for seasons of success ahead.