BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – In a first half that both teams seemed content to sleepwalk through, freshman forward Florida Siaosi (Hesperia/Sultana HS) carried the Cal State Bakersfield women's basketball team to an early lead and, ultimately, to a 66-56 win over Sonoma State Thursday night at Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield.
Siaosi nearly recorded her first collegiate double-double in the first half, finishing with 12 rebounds and nine points. She continued her onslaught in the second half, finishing with game and career highs of 17 points and 17 rebounds.
Despite Siaosi's efforts, neither team played well in the first half. Bakersfield shot just 32 percent as a team and turned the ball over 11 times. Sonoma, however, played a level below that, shooting a miserable 19 percent (6-of-31) from the floor with 14 turnovers.
The Roadrunners caught fire in the second half thanks in large part to the presence of senior center Jessi Loring (Saugus/College of the Canyons). Loring sat out the first half with a tweaked ankle suffered in a midweek practice. Although she played just five minutes, she scored eight quick points as the 'Runners grew their lead to 12 points at 35-23 two and one half minutes in the second half.
Even after Loring returned to the bench, the 'Runners kept their intensity. The finished the second half shooting 50 percent from the floor while turning the ball over just three times.
Bakersfield extended its lead to as many as 21 points in the second half before the Seawolves made a late run to get the final margin to a respectable 10 points.
In addition to Siaosi, Rhondi Naff and Rhonda Johnson also reached double figures with 10 points apiece. Genny Anderson and Renee Riberdy led Sonoma with nine points apiece.
CSUB (9-6, 6-2 CCAA) return to action Saturday by hosting Humboldt State at 5:30 p.m. Sonoma State (5-8, 4-5) plays at Cal State L.A. Saturday night.
SONOMA STATE (5–8, 4–5 CCAA): Genny Anderson 4-15 0-0 7; Nichola Hester 2-7 0-0 4; Lauren Redfield 2-9 0-0 4; Chelsey Armacost 1-3 5-6 7; Danae Wellander 0-5 2-2 2; Jennifer Russo 2-3 2-2 7; Mallorie Cargill 1-2 0-0 2; Brianne Getgen 2-5 1-2 5; Lindsey Dreher 0-2 0-0 0; Heidi Mertle 1-3 3-4 5; Lauren Powers 1-1 0-0 2; Renee Riberdy 1-5 7-8 9; 17-60. TOTALS: 17-60 20-24 56.
CS BAKERSFIELD (9–6, 6–2 CCAA): Rhondi Naff 3-8 2-5 10; Rhonda Johnson 5-11 0-0 10; Florida Siaosi 6-9 5-6 17; Kelley Tarver 2-11 0-0 4; Krista Arase 2-7 1-1 6; Katherine Smith 0-0 0-0 0; Christine Kepenekian 1-4 2-2 4; Naomi Johnson 0-1 1-2 1; Kelly Blair 3-6 0-0 6; Jessi Loring 4-6 0-0 8. TOTALS: 26-63 11-16 66.
HALFTIME: CSUB 28-21. 3-PT. FG: SSU 2-8 (Russo 1-1, Anderson 1-4, Hester 0-1, Redfield 0-1, Wellander 0-1); CSUB 3-11 (Naff 2-5, Arase 1-3, Tarver 0-1, Kepenekian 0-1, Blair 0-1). REBOUNDS: SSU 51 (Riberdy 8); CSUB 36 (Siaosi 17). ASSISTS: SSU 8 (Hester 3); CSUB 8 (Arase 3). TURNOVERS: SSU 22, CSUB 14. BLOCKS: SSU 2 (Riberdy 2); CSUB 3 (3 with 1). STEALS: SSU 3 (Getgen 2); CSUB 10 (Kepenekian 4). TECHNICALS: None. FOULED OUT: R. Johnson. OFFICIALS: Anderson, Garcia, Banal. ATTN: 237.
