The De Anza College women’s basketball team defeated district rival Foothill College 75-51 on Wednesday Jan. 29.

Both teams started the game playing 2-3 zones on defense, which kept the score close for the first seven minutes. Neither team could get a foothold on a lead.

But with 13:03 left in the first half, the Owls grabbed a 11-10 lead. That prompted De Anza head coach Arden Kragalott to call a timeout after the go-ahead two-point basket by Foothill’s Leslie Tiongco.

The timeout energized the Dons and they answered their coach’s request for them to play better overall.

After Foothill’s Marlene Isied made an easy layup to put the Owls up 13-11 with 12 minutes to go, the Dons made their move.

Sophomore guard Chyna Cole made a 3-pointer to give the Dons the lead 14-13 and that sparked a 10-2 run over the next two minutes. Freshman forward/center Madison Michelis added a three point play after being fouled by Foothill’s Margaret Sun in the post to push the lead to 18-13.

And sophomore guard Ashley Fadrilan capped off the run with a 3-pointer from the left baseline making the score 21-13.

The Dons lead mushroomed to 11 points after freshman guard/forward Lanyssa Fiaui dropped in a 3-pointer to put the score at 28-17 with 5:35 left.

Foothill closed the margin to 33-26 three minutes later, after the Owls’ Felesia Porter made a 3-pointer from the top of the key while the Dons were scrambling defensively.

Michelis’ 3-pointer with 48 seconds left capped off a 7-2 run to end the first half and the Dons carried a 40-28 lead into halftime.

The second half began with both teams trading two-point baskets.

Foothill came within seven points of the lead, 43-36, when Sun banked a two-point shot in. But the following possession, the Dons responded.

After getting the offensive rebound, Fiaui was fouled as she made a two-point field goal with 17:16 left in the game. She finished off the play with a free throw and the Dons led 46-36.

“We were good on offense, but we have been struggling on defense,” Fadrilan said after the game. “Coach told us to pick up our (defense).”

At 16:25, Fadrilan forced a turnover along with sophomore guard Shayla McPhearson and it led to a fast break. McPhearson got the pass from Fadrilan, laid it up and drew the foul. She made the free throw and extended the lead to 13.

The same sequence happened 12 seconds later, but this time Fadrilan finished off the play with a layup giving the Dons a commanding 51-36 lead.

“In order to play good defense you have to have heart,” said Fadrilan of the overall defensive effort in the second half. “During that time we were getting the turnovers, we needed that time from within (our hearts) to stop them and we did.”

Over the next four minutes the Dons held the Owls to five points, playing the same tenacious defense shown against Hartnell two weeks before. The Dons continued to add to their lead during that time span as well.

With five minutes left to play, Cole’s bounce pass eluded three Foothill defenders in the low-post and Michelis converted the layup to put the game out of reach.

Michelis finished with a game-high 28 points and 12 rebounds, nine of which were on the offensive glass. Fiaui and McPhearson had 14 points apiece to contribute to a balanced attack on offense.

Even when the score was to the Dons’ advantage late in the game, Kragalott made sure the team didn’t let up.

“The players get irritated sometimes,” said Kragalott of her coaching mentality late in the game. “It’s important to know that you are not just playing this game but playing the next game and (getting ready) for the playoffs.”

The win gave the Dons a record of 15-8 on the season and 6-1 in conference play.