BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Cal State Bakersfield women's basketball to made its season debut a successful one Thursday night with a 108–67 exhibition victory over visiting Fresno Pacific University in the Icardo Center.
While both teams displayed some rust, senior forward Rhondi Naff (Costa Mesa/Orange Coast College) looked in midseason form with 20 points on 7-of-7 shooting from the field. She added a game–high four steals on the defensive end.
Sophomore guard Christine Kepenekian (Burbank HS) came off the bench to be the game's high scorer, finishing a solid performance with 22 point and six rebounds in just 23 minutes. Sophomore guard Krista Arase (Alhambra/Keppel HS) passed for a game–high 11 assists and matched Naff's four steals.
Junior guard Brooke Stanley led three FPU players in double figures with 14 points. Melissa Flores and Katie Williams chipped in 10 points apiece.
The Roadrunners never trailed in the game, using a dominant interior game to jump to a 10–2 lead in the first four minutes. Bakersfield out–scored Fresno 36–6 in the first half and 78–12 for the game.
But several missed free throws and a slough of careless turnovers allowed Fresno to hang around, and the Sunbirds cut the deficit to six points twice, the last time at 22–16 with 8:29 to play in the half.
Fresno had its own early season kinks to work out, however, and Bakersfield responded with a 12–3 run that gave the Roadrunners control and a 15–point lead with five minutes remaining in the half.
The Bakersfield lead was 51–31 at intermission. A Naff three–pointer made it 30 at 72–42 at the 13:57 mark of the second half, allowing both coaches to substitute liberally down the stretch.
The Roadrunners will open their season in earnest next week, hosting Hawaii Pacific University in the regular season opener on Friday, Nov. 9. Fresno Pacific, which entered the game with a 3–0 record, will return to action Saturday night when it hosts Bethany College in the Special Events Center.
FRESNO PACIFIC: Melissa Flores 2-7 4-6 10; Katie Williams 3-6 2-2 10; Brooke Stanley 5-11 0-0 14; Brooke Edwards 1-8 0-0 2; Amanda Kamps 1-3 4-4 7; Jessica Mazza 1-3 1-2 3; Shirin Turujman 1-5 0-0 3; Dori Sanchez 1-3 0-0 3; Maria Perez 1-3 3-5 5; Chinelle Watson 1-7 1-2 3; Kari Cox 1-3 1-2 3; Amber Purdie 1-4 1-2 4; Elisha Hudson 0-2 0-0 0. TOTALS: 19-65 17-25 67.
CS BAKERSFIELD: Rhondi Naff 7-7 4-7 20; Rhonda Johnson 9-12 0-2 18; Jessi Loring 5-8 4-6 14; Kelley Tarver 1-3 2-3 4; Krista Arase 1-3 2-2 4; Tiffany Belt 3-5 1-2 7; Katherine Smith 0-1 0-0 0; Christine Kepenekian 9-14 3-4 22; Naomi Johnson 2-2 1-3 5; Kelly Blair 1-1 0-0 2; Florida Siaosi 5-6 2-2 12; Leesa Barnes 0-1 0-0 0. TOTALS: 43-63 19-31 108.
HALFTIME: CSUB 51–31. 3-PT. FG: FPU 12-31 (Stanley 4-8, Williams 2-2, Flores 2-3, Sanchez 1-2, Purdie 1-2, Watson 1-2, Kamps 1-3, Turujman 1-5, Edwards 0-4); CSUB 3-10 (Naff 2-2, Kepenekian 1-4, Tarver 0-1, Siaosi 0-1, Arase 0-2). ASSISTS: FPU 14 (Flores 3); CSUB 32 (Arase 11). TURNOVERS: FPU 34, CSUB 27. STEALS: FPU 12 (Williams, Edwards, Perez 2); CSUB 18 (Naff, Arase 4). FOULED OUT: Purdie, Smith). OFFICIALS: Waters, Lozano, Lopez. ATTN: 837.
