Box Score FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Cal State San Marcos women's basketball team's improbable late-season run was brought to a halt in the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball National Championship First Round, as the Cougars fell to No. 1 seed Vanguard 97-47 on Thursday night at Frankfort Civic Center.

CSUSM finishes its season 15-18 after earning its first-ever bid to the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Championships as winner of the Association of Independent Institutions Tournament. CSUSM won six of its final eight contests.

Vanguard (27-1) will meet fifth-seed John Brown University (26-7) on Friday in the second round.

Sherika Miller and Brianna Higgins led Cal State San Marcos with 12 and 10 points, respectively, while Cassie Damyanovich had eight. The trio combined for 30 of the Cougars' 47 points.

Alexandria Alvarado dished out a team-high five assists, while Heather Thompson and Higgins led the Cougars with five boards apiece.

Vanguard started the game with a 7-2 lead, which later grew to 17-4 and 38-8 before the Lions entered halftime up 54-19.  CSUSM fell victim to several VU runs in the second half to extend their 35-point lead into the final 50-point margin.

Nicole Ballestero scored 38 points to lead Vanguard, shooting 56.5 percent (13-for-23). Samantha Doucette and Taylor Belmont followed with 15 and 12 points, respectively.

CSUSM will graduate one lone senior in the offseason, Sherika Miller. Miller averaged 11.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game in her two-year career in Cougar blue. She was named All-A.I.I. twice and will graduate in second place on CSUSM's all-time scoring list.