The Warriors and Bruins fought their way to the final buzzer in a tightly contested game when Santa Clara's last-second shot was off the mark and the Warriors danced off the court with a 39-38 victory to grab the 2004 championship.

Going into the game, the Warriors knew they had their work cut out for them in trying to contain the offensive efforts of Santa Clara's sophomore sensation Jacqui Fountain. The challenge was made even greater because, due to recent injuries, the Warriors were also without two of their own key big players, Evelyn Lopez and Ann Baumgardner.

The score was tied twice and the lead changed hands four times in the final quarter alone as the two teams slugged it out, scoring 10 points each. Rachel Gellman led the Warriors, putting up six points and assisting in two more on a steal and a feed to Stacey Stenzel who laid it in. Gellman kept the Bruins on their heels as she frequently drove the lane, dropping the ball into the hoop.

Fountain kept the Bruins in it with two outside jumpers and a free throw but didn't have the dominant presence she had displayed in the first half. Throughout the game Gellman, Stenzel and Megan Scheibli drew the assignment of guarding Fountain and covered her with intensity, forcing her to work hard for every shot attempted. The strong defense seemed to finally have its effect, wearing her down for the final quarter.

Westmont took the lead for good at 39-36 on back-to-back baskets with a lay-in by Megan Higbee on an assist from Scheibli and one of Gellman's drives down the lane with about two minutes left. Westmont was able to hang on with tough defense down the stretch and forced Santa Clara to take an off balance desperation shot with three seconds left that missed the mark.

Gellman led the Warriors, tossing in 15 on the night. A trio of other Warriors knocked down eight each. Stenzel and Higbee were strong down low on rolls to the basket and Lynley Takaki did her damage primarily from the outside. Krystal Wahl did not score but provided solid off the bench play.

Gellman was rewarded for her exceptional play by being selected as the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Stenzel was also an all-tournament selection.

Westmont opened the tourney with another hard fought victory, finally prevailing 44-33 over Lynbrook.

It was Gellman at the top of the scoring column again, knocking in 12 points. Although she was the only Warrior in double digits, a host of others put points on the board. Stenzel dropped in nine and Scheibli added seven. Higbee chipped in six while Takaki and Marie Rippen had four each.

Lynbrook picked up a strong performance from Tiffany Pan, who led the Vikings with a sizzling attack from beyond the arc, popping in 14 points--including four three balls. Support came from Emily Shen and Vickie Chen with six each. Katie Yamauchi dumped in five. Pan went on to have a solid effort throughout the tourney and was named to the all-tournament team.

Westmont had an easier time of it in the semifinals, knocking off a pesky Independence team 57-33. Center Chelsea Atkins had the hot hand, dumping in 14 points from the paint. Both Gellman and Stenzel tossed in eight while Takaki hit seven and Higbee added six. Four each from Scheibli, Kelly Gregg and Rippen and a bucket from Wahl rounded out the Warrior scoring.

The host Dons faced Santa Clara in the semifinals and lost 41-34. Behind the hot hands of Nadia Walton and Gladia Castro, the Dons beat Independence 61-53 in the third-place game. Walton was awarded a spot on the all-tournament team.

The consolation championship was another nail-biter with Lynbrook grabbing a 48-44 overtime victory over Homestead.

The Vikings had the long-range attack working again, finding the mark on nine three-pointers. Pan led the barrage from behind the arc with four three balls and a total of 14 points. Gloria Sue was right behind, firing in 11 points, including a three-pointer. Shen and Chen tossed in seven points each with two and one respectively from three-point land. Laura Crisler added six points and Yamauchi rounded out the scoring with a three-ball.

Homestead was in the consolation bracket as the result of getting edged 44-43 by Santa Clara in the opening round of play. Homestead went on to knock off Mt. Pleasant in the consolation semifinals with a solid 35-29 win.

Lynbrook advanced to the consolation finals by virtue of a convincing 35-20 victory over Saratoga. The game was close through three quarters with Lynbrook holding on to a 22-20 edge as the final stanza began. Unfortunately, the Falcons could not find the bottom of the basket and went scoreless in the entire fourth quarter, allowing the Vikings to pull away for the win.

Crisler netted 10 points and was the leader for Lynbrook. Yamauchi swished in nine, including a couple of threes, and Chen popped eight. Shen added five and Sue picked up three.

The Falcons were led by Daphne Wu, who dropped in nine points. Paige Henry chipped in five. Tiffany Poon, Jordana Dreyfuss and Angela Wong each added two.

The loss by Saratoga sent the Falcons home early and ended a short two-game visit to the tourney. Saratoga also suffered an opening round 47-28 loss to Independence.

The Falcons matched the 76ers basket for basket in the first quarter, ending the action at the first buzzer tied 14-14 and were down only 23-18 at intermission. The Falcons came out cold in the second half and their shots would not fall, which allowed the 76ers to build a third quarter lead that the Falcons could not come back from.

Henry put in 10 points, including a couple of three-pointers, to lead the Falcons. Dreyfuss tossed in eight and Katie Reed fired in a three-ball and hit another basket to total five points. Brittany Straw picked up three and Poon added two to close out the Falcons' scoring.