Women's Basketball

PCAC Champions 2007-08, 2008-09, 2009-10

2011-12 season

2011-12 Schedule/Results   |   2011-12 Roster    |   2010-11 Statistics

2011-2012 PALOMAR WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

(Photo by Melinda Finn)

Ashley Witherspoon drives against Imperial Valley on Friday evening. She pulled up and scored on the play (below). -- BELOW RIGHT: Alliya Pinckney scored for the Comets. Photos by Hugh Cox

Comets rout IVC on Coaches vs. Cancer night

 Coaches vs. Cancer games are Friday at Dome

SAN MARCOS (2-1-2012) -- Palomar's "Coaches vs. Cancer" basketball doubleheader will be played on Friday at The Dome, with the women's team playing Imperial Valley at 5 p.m. and the men facing San Diego City College at 7 p.m.

The California Community College Men's and Women's Basketball Coaches Association are sponsoring the event, with proceeds going directly to the American Cancer Society to promote lifesaving research and programs that improve the quality of life for cancer sufferers.

San Diego City 55, Palomar 54 -- Alliya Pinckney (left) scored 18 points and Katelyn Bonner cointributed a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds on Wednesday evening, but the Knights won for the first time in 20 games.

Ashley Witherspoon had nine rebounds for the Comets in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference match-up at City College's Harry West Gymnasium..

ABOVE: Palomar's Rhaissel Yscey steals the ball against Southwestern on Friday evening at The Dome. -- Photo by Hugh Coix. BELOW LEFT: Katelyn Bonner, who was Palomar's leading scorer

Comets drop conference game at The Dome

SAN MARCOS (1-27-2012) -- Palomar led Southwestern twice in the early going on Friday evening,  twice early, 3-2 after a 3-pointer by Mariah Bennett and 5-4 after another bucket by Bennett but Southwestern dominated the rest of the game at The Dome to hand the Comets a 72-39 Pacific Coast Athletic Conference defeat.

Katelyn Bonner scored seven points to lead the Comets (4-17 on the season, 2-5 in conference). Tiana Dominick and Bennet had seven points each.

The Jaguars advanced to 5-2 in the conference.

ABOVE: Ashley Witherspoon takes the ball to the bucket after a pass from Tiana Dominick (12). Witherspoon scored with just under a minute left to give the Comets a 61-60 lead in their win over rival MiraCosta. BELOW LEFT: Alliya Pickney hits a jumper and is fouled from behind in first-half action. She made the ensuing free throw, then added another bucket to turn a 20-20 tie into a 25-20 Palomar lead. -- Photos by Hugh Cox

Pinckney clinches 63-60 win vs. rival MiraCosta

SAN MARCOS (1-20-2012) --  Alliya Pinckney, a freshman from Mt. Carmel High School, stole the ball and took it in for a lay-up with 10 seconds left to clinch Palomar's 63-60 women's basketball win over North County rival MiraCosta on Friday evening at The Dome.

It was by far the biggest victory for coach Leigh Marshall's Comets since she took over a program with no returning players after the former head coach and her replacement walked away from the program in the summer and fall of 2010 -- leaving a program that had won three straight conference titles in shambles. The 2010-11 Comets went winless after Marshall was hired by September 2010, after classes had started.

"We recruit the same players, so this one means something," Marshall told the North County Times.

Added Marshall: who took over a similar program in shambles at Orange County's El Modina High School and had her team in the CIF Southern Section playoffs two years later: Until now, these girls didn't know what it was like to win a close game. Maybe this is the game that gets us over the hump."

Tina Dominick (14 points), Tesa Balcom (10) and Pinckney (10) led Palomar in scoring. Katelyn Bonner and Ashley Witherspoon each had 7 rebounds.

The Comets are 4-15, 2-3 in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference. The Spartans fall to 5-12, 1-3.

Pickney's steal, layup secure Palomar's win over MiraCosta -- North County Times, 1-27-2012

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San Diego Mesa 63, Palomar 48 -- The Comets ran into a hot San Diego Mesa team on Wednesay night on the road.

The first-place Olympians did not cool off, defeating the Comets 63-48 in a Pacific Coast Athletic Conference game for their 10th straight win.

For the Comets, Katelyn Bonner had what coach Leigh Marshall said was a "great game) and tallied 13 points. Alliya Pinckney added 12 points.

ABOVE: Palomar's Tiana Dominick (12) and Ashley Witherspoon defend against Grossmont's Eygial Limbo on Friday evening at The Dome. Limbo turned the ball over. BELOW: Leigh Marshall, who is in the midst of a rebuilding program, coaches up the Comets. -- Photos by Hugh Cox

Comets fall at Dome to defending champions

SAN MARCOS (1-13-2012) -- Neither Friday the 13th nor defending Pacific Coast Athletic Conference champion Grossmont was kind to Palomar's women's basketball team on Friday evening.

After notching a 16-point victory over San Diego City College the previous Friday and falling by four points on the road at Imperial Valley on Wednesday, the Comets had the misfortune of catching the Griffins two nights after they were upset by a point by San Diego Mesa on Wednesday..

The motivated G-House squad won 53-32.

This, despite a 15-point performance by Palomar freshman Alliya Pinckney, a Mt. Carmel High School product who knocked down five 3-point shots.

Palomar's second-leading scorers on the night, Tiana Dominick and Mariah Bennett, scored four points each.

Nicole Harris led the G-House, which led 28-17 at halftime, with 19 points.

Grossmont advanced to 10-10 on the season, 3-1 in the PCAC. The Comets are 3-15, 1-3.

Comets get first PCAC win since Feb. 19, 2010

SAN MARCOS (1-06-2012) -- Palomar's freshman-dominated women's basketball team continued on the road back to respectability under coach Leigh Marshall on Friday evening, defeating San Diego City 57-41 at The Dome. It was the Comets' first Pacific Coast Athletic Conference win since they beat Cuyamaca in their final regular-season game two years ago, on Feb. 19, 2010.

Ashley Witherspoon (left) led the Comets with 12 points and Mariah Bennett (right) tallied 11 points.

Palomar (3-13, 1-1) broke a 6-6 tie with a 13-2 run that gave the Comets a 19-8 lead midway through the first half, and never looked back. Palomar also went on an 11-0 run to open the second half.

Witherspoon made a spectacular play with 10:08 left in the game, with the Comets on top 40-20. She got up an off-balance lay-up for a basket as she was fouled and knocked to the floor and tacked on the ensuing free throw, putting Palomar up by 23 points. Moments later Kathia Cordero's bucket gave the Comets their biggest lead of the night at 25 points, 45-20.

Ten different Comets scored. Tessa Balcom was the third-highest scorer with eight points, includng a pair-of first-half 3-pointers. Katelyn Bonner scored six points, Cordero five points, Cherene Askar and Soliaana Faapouli four each and Tiana Dominick three. Rhaissel Yasay and Kelly Marcey each had two points, the latter before leaving the game with an ankle injury in the second half.

The Knights, who got a game-high 18 points including a 12-for-13 performance at the free throw line from Eyga Mojus, are 0-14, 0-2.

Witherspoon honored as PCAC Athlete of Week

SAN DIEGO (1-10-2012) -- Palomar freshman basketball player Ashley Witherspoon has been honored by the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference as Women's Athlete of the Week for the week that ended on Sunday.

Witherspoon, scored 12 points, including two baskets to ignite an early 13-2 run that put Palomar in front, and added a spectacular 3-point play on a off-balance bucket with 10 minutes left in the game as the Comets beat San Diego City 59-41 for their first PCAC win since Feb. 19, 2010.

Palomar loses starting guard, PCAC opener

CHULA VISTA (1-04-12) -- Palomar lost Alliya Pinckney, its starting shooting guard, in the first minute of the game with a sprained ankle and dropped its Pacific Coast Athletic Conference opener to host Southwestern on Wednesday evening 38-34.

"It was a brutal loss," coach Leigh Marshall said. "We held them under (40) points but couldn't score.

Mariah Bennett (right)) led the Comets (2-13, 0-1) with 11 points, while Tiana Dominick added nine points.

Southwestern is 3-10, 1-0.

Consumnes River trips PC for consolation title

FULLERTON (12-29-11) -- One day after beating down Contra Costa (see below), Palomar dropped a 66-37 decision  Consumnes River College of Sacramento for the consolation championship of the Colleen Riley Holiday Tournament at Fullerton College on Thursday.

Rhaissel Yasay (left) led the Comets with 13 points. Alliya Pinckney and Mariah Bennett each grabbed six rebounds.while Ashley Witherspoon added five boards.

Consumnes River advanced to 9-4, while the Comets dropped to 2-12.

Palomar will tip off its Pacific Coast Athletic Conference season next Wednesday, on Jan. 4, at Southwestern at 5 p.m.

PC wins battle of Comets; consolation final next

FULLERTON (12-28-11) -- Alliya Pinckney (left) led the way with 15 points, four assists and two steals on Wednesday as the Palomar Comets beat the Contra Costa Comets 55-42 in women's basketball to reach the consolation finals of the Colleen Riley Holiday Tournament.

Katelyn Bonner (right) added 11 points and four rebounds for Palomar, which notched its second win of the season. Kathia Cordero (7 points, 7 rebounds) and Mariah Bennett  (9 rebounds) also contributed key performances for Palomar.

Coach Leigh Marshall's Comets will play Consumnes River College from Sacramento on Thursday at 12 noon at Fullerton College for the consolation title. Palomar is 2-11 on the season. Contra Costa fell to 1-9.

Palomar falls in consolation semis at Coast

COSTA MESA  (12-16-11) -- Palomar turned in one of its strongest performances on Saturday but fell to Chaffey 71-58 in the consolation semifinals of the Erin Tomlinson Coast Christmas Classic at Orange Coast College.

The Comets hung with the 11-3 Panthers for much of the game.

Kathia Cordero led Palomar (1-10) with 12 points and also had 6 rebounds.

Mariah Bennett (above left)) scored 10 points and passed off for 6 assists. Alliya Pinckney also tallied 10 points. Ashley Weatherspoon (above right) pulled down a team-high 10 rebounds.

Palomar will return to action Dec. 27-29 when the Comets play in the Colleen Parker Holiday Tournament at Fullerton College.

Dominique (14 pts.), Cordero (8 RB) star in 'L'

COSTA MESA  (12-16-11) -- Irvine Valley College overcame strong performances by Tiana Dominick and Kathia Cordero on Friday to avert an upset as the Lasers held off Palomar 44-42 in the Erin Tomlinson Coast Christmas Classic at Orange Coast College.

Tiana Dominick (left) led Palomar with 14 points and 8 rebounds in an opening round game.

Kathia Cordero grabbed 10 rebounds for the Comets (1-9),  all on the defensive board.

Palomar (1-9) was unable to hold onto a 26-23 halftime lead against the 7-6 Lasers.

The Comets play Chaffey, a 63-62 first-round loser to Saddleback,  on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in the consolation semifinals.

Witherspoon grabs 20 RB's; losing streak over

MISSION VIEJO  (11-22-11) -- The Palomar women's basketball team snapped a 27-game losing streak by defeating Cerro Coso College of Ridgecrest 51-38 in the consolation semifinals of the Lady Gaucho Classic at Saddleback on Tuesday.

It was the Comets' first victory since they defeated Cuyamaca in the next-to-last game of the 2009-10 season, on Feb. 19, 2010 at Palomar.

Mariah Bennett scored 16 points and Ashley Witherspoon (right) grabbed 20 rebounds, 13 on the defensive board, as the Comets (1-5) gave coach Leigh Marshall her first victory since she was hired as Palomar's third coach in a little over two months, in September 2010, to turn around a program that had zero players returning from the previous season.

With no returnees and no chance to recruit, as classes already had begun, the situation was unanimously considered to be impossible, and the Comets went 0-21 last season.

Alliya Pinckney scored nine points and Witherspoon had six assists. Palomar plays Eastern Arizona for the consolation championship Wednesday at noon. The Gila Monsters downed Southwestern 75-41 in their consolation semifinal game.

BOX

ABOVE: Palomar's Tiana Dominick plays tough defense against Santa Ana on Tuesday evening. BELOW: Alliya Pickney easily drives past a Dons defender. -- Photos by Hugh Cox

Palomar opens huge early lead but drops debut

SAN MARCOS (11-08-11) -- Palomar's women's basketball team opened up a 25-10 lead over visiting Santa Ana with 10 minutes, 32 seconds left in the first half in its season opener on Tuesday night at the Dome.

The Comets led most of the game and it appeared they were headed to their first victory since February 2010. But Santa Ana came battling back.

The Dons caught and passed Palomar with a little over 3 minutes remaining and went on to a 75-68 victory. Palomar had to foul late in the game, and Santa Ana stretched its lead by making its free throws down the stretch.

Sophomore guard Tiana Dominick had a big game for the Comets in the loss as she hit 7 field goals, converted 7-of-8 free throws and finished with 21 points.

Palomar had two other double-figure scorers.Mariah Bennet hit three 3-pointers and tallied 13 points. Alliya Pinckney also had 13 points. The Comets led 38-30 at the half.

Comets will tip off new-look season on Tuesday

SAN MARCOS (11-9-11) -- Palomar, with a new-look roster and new possibilities, will tip off the 2011-12 women's basketball season on Tuesday, Nov. 8, when  the Comets host Santa Ana College at The Dome at 5 p.m.

With an opportunity to recruit as opposed to last season when she was became the third head women's basketball coach hired in a little over two months, after classes had already started, Leigh Marshall will put an almost completely-new team on the floor against the Dons.

Marshall has a 14-player roster,includiong a bevy of top recruits.

Tiana Dominick, last season's leading scorer, returns along with Solaana Faapouli, who was lost for the season a year ago the second week of the season with an injury.

After Tuesday's game the Comets will play two single games and five tournaments on the road before returning to the Dome for a Pacific Coast Athletic Conference match-up against San Diego City College on Jan. 6.

Next up for Palomar after the Santa Ana game: El Camino College and Cuesta in the Orange Coast Tip-Off Crossover on Sept.11-12.

Marshall getting a jump start on rebuilding

SAN MARCOS (7-24-11) -- When Leigh Marshall (right) was hired as Palomar's women's basketball coach last Fall, she inherited a program that was left with no returning players from a team that won a third straight Pacific Coast Athletic Conference championship the previous season.

With the previous coach leaving the cupboard bare when she resigned last summer, and the coach hired to replace her bolting abruptly to return to his old high school boys job a matter of weeks after coming coming on board, Marshall had no opportunity to recruit.

And the Comets went from feast to famine, going winless.

After that frustrating experience, Marshall has been making up for lost time in a hurry, luring a strong recruiting class to go along with the returning Tiana Dominick, who averaged 11.2 points per game in her first season out of Lakeside High in Lake Elsinore.

Some of the top player's in the Comets' recruiting class include:

• Ashley Witherspoon, a 5-foot-7 wing who helped lead Mission Hills High to a 22-7 record and the Avocado League East championship. Witherspoon was a first-team all-league selection and a first-team All-North County pick by the North County Times.

• Brittney Palmore, a 5-foot-8 wing from Mission Hills who was a key factor in the Grizzlies' league-title run with her shooting and defensive play.

• Alliya Pinckney, a 5-foot-4 guard from Mt. Carmel High. She averaged 7.5 points and was a defensive specialist for a 24-9 team and was the Sundevils' Girls Athlete of the Year.

• Mariah Bennett, a 5-foot-5 guard who transferred from the NAIA's San Diego Christian College. Bennett was a starting varsity guard for three seasons at West Hills High School and played a key role in the Wolf Pack's back-to-back CIF San Diego Section Division II titles in 2008-09 and 2009-10. She was a first-team All-Grossmont Conference Hills Division selection and was named third-team All-East County by EastCountySports.com.

• Katelyn Bonner, a 5-foot-8 wing-forward from Rancho Bernardo High.

• Josephine Rodriguez, a 5-foot-10 post player from La Costa Canyon High.

• Tessa Balcom, a second-team All-Valley League selection at Ramona High in 2009-10.

"We're getting players starting to come back to Palomar," said Marshall

2010-11 season

 2010-11 Statistics

2010-2011 PALOMAR WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

Coaches vs. Cancer fund-raiser is Wednesday

SAN MARCOS (1-30-11) -- Gate proceeds from Palomar's women's / men's basketball doubleheader this Wednesday evening, Feb. 2, will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

The Coaches vs. Cancer fund-raiser, scheduled for the Palomar Dome, will feature the Comet women against Imperial Valley at 5 p.m., followed by the men vs. San Diego Mesa at 7 p.m. and is part of a joint state-wide effort initiated by the California Community College Men's and Women's State Basketball Coaches Associations, in conjunction with the National Association of Basketball Coaches, to raise money to help defeat cancer.

Admission will be $6 for adults, $4 for Palomar faculty/ staff and students and $4 for seniors (60 and over). Under-12 and Palomar students with college-issued photo IDs will be admitted free.

"We are asking our community to help us sell out the Dome for this special event," said Director of Athletics Scott Cathcart. "It provides a perfect opportunity for our basketball teams and our institution to interface with the community in a cause that truly deserves all of our support."

Funds from the individual community college events throughout the state will be pooled into a large donation from the CCCAA men's and women's coaches. A presentation of money raised will be made to the American Cancer Society at the men's and women's state championships at the Ventura College Athletic Event Center in March.

ABOVE: Stephanie Torres, one of three Comets to score in double figures, takes the ball to the bucket against MiraCosta. -- Photo by Hugh Cox. BELOW LEFT: Tina Dominick. BELOW RIGHT: Brittni Maurer. They were the other two Palomar players to crack double figures.

PC puts 3 in double figures but falls to rival

SAN MARCOS (1-21-11) -- Coming off its best performance since its season opener back in early November on Wednesday, Palomar's young and inexperienced team lost on Friday evening at home.

The Comets, who dropped a 36-29 decision at San Diego Mesa on Wednesday evening after lead, played well for much of the first half on Friday. But they seemed to tire and lost to visiting MiraCosta 76-48 in Pacific Coast Athletic Conference women's basketball on Friday night.

Despite falling to 0-14 on the season, 0-5 in conference, Palomar put three players in double figures for one of the few times all season. Tina Dominick led the Comets with 14 points, Brittni Maurer 12 and Stephanie Torres 10.

The Comets knocked down five three pointers, two each by Dominick and Torres and one by Ashley Haughton, who was next in scoring with seven points.

The Spartans are 6-12, 3-2 in conference.

ABOVE: Rosa Rodriguez controls the ball against Grossmont. -- Photo by Hugh Cox. BELOW: Tiana Dominick, who drained three 3-pointers for the Comets

Comets have some moments but lose to Griffs

SAN MARCOS (1-14-11) -- Palomar had its moments on Friday night at the Dome after visiting Grossmont jumped out to a big early lead. But it was hardly enough.

Tiana Dominick buried three 3-pointers for Palomar. Brittni Mauer led the Comets with eight points, including a 4-for-4 effort from the free throw line.

Ashley Haughton hit a 3-pointer for Palomar's first points of the game and was 3-for-4 from on free throws to finish with six points.

The Griffins advanced to 12-8, 3-1 in the Pacific Coast Athletic Confernece while the Comets fell to 0-12, 0-3.

ABOVE: Tina Dominick (12), guarded by San Diego City College's Gaby Guzman,  drives to the bucket to score eight minutes into Wednesday's game. Coach Leigh Marshall watches in background. BELOW: Stephanie Torres (23) tries to penetrate. -- Photos by Hugh Cox

PC proves you can go home again but loses

IMPERIAL (1-7-11) / SAN MARCOS (1-12-11) -- Palomar, with on one returning from last season, a coach (Leigh Marshall who was hired at the last second without an opportunity to recruit off-campus and a series of crippling injuries, dropped its first two Pacific Coast Athletic Conference games, 83-38 at Imperial Valley last Friday and 84-27 to San Diego City College at the Dome on Wednesday evening.

The latter was only the second at home for the Comets, who gave Long Beach City College a surprisingly tough game in their season opener back on Nov. 11, then played all their games on the road until Wednesday -- a time gap of two months and one day.

Tina Dominick scored 10 points to lead Palomar (0-11, 0-2 Pacific Coast Athletic Conference against the Knights (6-11, 1-2). Andrea Hill added eight points. City College buried 11 3-pointers.

Palomar will be back in action at the Dome Friday against defending Pacific Coast Athletic Conference co-champion Grossmont. Tipoff will be at 7 p.m. in the second game of a doubleheader. The Comets' men's team will host Cuyamaca at 5.

Palomar slates doubleheader cancer fund-raiser

SAN MARCOS (1-5-11) -- Gate proceeds from Palomar's women's / men's basketball doubleheader on Feb. 2 will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

The fund-raiser, scheduled for the Palomar Dome, will feature the Comet women against Imperial Valley at 5 p.m., followed by the men vs. San Diego Mesa at 7 p.m. and is part of a joint state-wide effort initiated by the California Community College Men's and Women's State Basketball Coaches Associations to raise money to help defeat cancer.

"We are asking our community to help us sell out the Dome for this special event," said Director of Athletics Scott Cathcart. "It provides a perfect opportunity for our basketball teams and our institution to interface with the community in a cause that truly deserves all of our support."

Funds from the individual community college events throughout the state will be pooled into a large donation from the CCCAA men's and women's coaches. A presentation of money raised will be made to the American Cancer Society at the men's and women's state championships at the Ventura College Athletic Event Center in March.

Comets hire Marshall away from El Modena

PAUMA (9-14-10) -- The Palomar College Governing Board, meeting Tuesday evening at the college's Pauma Education Center, approved Leigh Marshall as the Comets new head women's basketball coach.

Marshall (left) has been the head varsity girls' coach at El Modena High School in Orange since May 2008.

The former Orange Coast College assistant coach took over an El Modena program that won one game the season before she arrived and, two seasons later, led the Vanguards into the CIF-Southern Section playoffs last Winter..

Marshall will hit the ground running as she fills a vacuum in the Palomar women's program. The Comets have been without a women's head coach since the summer.

"We're fortunate to have had the opportunity to hire someone of Coach Marshall's quality, regardless of the timing" said Palomar Athletic Director Scott Cathcart.

"She has community college experience as both an athlete and coach at Orange Coast College and has proven at El Modena High School that she is a successful program builder. Leigh's personality and enthusiasm toward the assignment have created a high confidence level in her ability to re-establish and grow our program."

Marshall, who will be an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Health and Physical Education, received her Master of Arts degree with a major in Kinesiology from Cal State University Long Beach. She received her Bachelor of Science degree, also with a major in Kinesiology, from Cal State University Fullerton. She received her AA degree from Orange Coast College.