SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – The University of San Francisco women's basketball team got back into the win column thanks to an impressive defensive effort and a career night from guard Amalie Langer.  Langer did not miss a shot and the Dons defeated host Santa Clara 67-54 on Saturday night at Kaiser Permanente Arena.
 
USF (6-8, 2-6 WCC) turned in a tremendous defensive effort, holding the Broncos to 54 points and creating 23 turnovers.  The 54 points allowed are second fewest USF has allowed this season and the 23 turnovers are the most.  The Dons turned those 23 turnovers into 37 points.
 
"I'm really excited for our team," said head coach Molly Goodenbour. "It was a great team effort with lots of contributions throughout the lineup and you need that to get a win on the road.  Santa Clara has been playing really well and our girls were excited for the opportunity to compete against them."
 
The Dons finished the night with three players in double figures led by Langer's game-high 21 points.  Langer tied a USF single game mark for field goal percentage minimum eight attempts by going 8-for-8 from the field, 3-for-3 from 3-point range and 2-for-2 from the charity stripe.  She joins former Dons Rheina Ale (9-for-9 vs. Northern Colorado on 11/29/08) and Teri Hunt (11-for-11 vs. LMU 1/25/86) as the only other players to accomplish this feat.  
 
"Amalie Langer gave us a really big lift offensively tonight," said Goodenbour. "She looked to score, that was something she wasn't really doing earlier this year.  She hit a couple of really big buckets for us tonight.  On the defensive side, she did a tremendous job on their leading scorer, Lindsey VanAllen, holding her to nine points."
 
Langer was joined by Ioanna Krimili and Lucie Hoskova in double figures.  Krimili got it going from beyond the arc finishing the night with 17 points.  All five of her field goals came from 3-point range, for the night she was 5-for-17 from the field but 5-for-11 from three.  Hoskova added 14, along with six rebounds and three assists.
 
The Broncos (8-6, 4-4) finished the night with two players in double figures.  Ashlyn Herlihy led the team with 11 points, followed by Ashley Hiraki who had 10 points. 
 
USF went into the locker at the half leading 30-20 thanks to a 9-0 run late in the second quarter.  The Dons got off to a strong start due to the hot shooting by Krimili from beyond the arc and Langer who scored 10 of her 21 in the opening half. 
 
USF shot 41.4 percent from the field first half and limited the Broncos to 28.6 percent from the field.  That included a 4-for-14 performance in the second quarter.
 
The Broncos cut the Don's lead to four to end the third quarter after outscoring the Dons 15-9. The third quarter was by far the Broncos most affective, they shot 40.0 percent from the field while holding the Dons to 25.0 percent.
 
In the fourth quarter USF got back into its solid offensive rhythm and pushed their lead to as much as 18 midway through the final period.  Rebounding and the free throw line kept the game from getting out of hand for Santa Clara.  The Broncos outrebounded the Dons 43-27 and were 15-for-19 from the charity stripe.
 
"Looking forward to this week, lots of work ahead with three games in six days, but this was a great way to start it," said Goodenbour.
 
The Dons will return to action on Monday when they host Pepperdine on Monday at 2:00 p.m. Monday's game will be streamed on the WCC Network with George Devine calling the game live from War Memorial at the Sobrato Center.