ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – The Cal State Bakersfield women's basketball team won lucky number 13 in a row Saturday night, holding off a stubborn Sonoma State squad for a 68-60 victory at Seawolf Gym in Rohnert Park.
Bakersfield (21-6, 18-2 CCAA) took the lead for good at 17-15 on a pair of Florida Siaosi (Hesperia/Sultana HS) free throws with 10:17 left in the first half. But it wasn't until there were less than 10 minutes remaining in the game that the Roadrunners got their lead to more than six points. The lead finally got to 10 points, 68-58, with 29 seconds remaining.
Senior center Jessi Loring (Saugus/College of the Canyons) led the way Saturday night. She was virtually unstoppable inside, scoring a game-high 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the field. Siaosi chipped in her team-leading ninth double-double of the season with 13 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
Sonoma (13-11, 12-8) led early and led as late as 15-13 nine minutes into the first half. But Naomi Johnson's (Oxnard CC) only bucket of the game sparked a quick 7-0 run that put the 'Runners ahead to stay at 20-15. The Seawolves stayed close, pulling to within one at 42-41 midway through the second half but never could get over the hump.
The win reduced to one Bakersfield's magic number for clinching at least a share of first place in the CCAA. The 'Runners will close their final CCAA campaign next week when they host Cal State San Bernardino Friday night and Cal Poly Pomona in the season finale on Saturday.
Cal State Bakersfield 68, Sonoma State 60
CS BAKERSFIELD (21–6, 18–2 CCAA): Rhondi Naff 1-3 0-0 2; Florida Siaosi 4-7 5-5 13; Jessi Loring 9-12 4-5 22; Kelley Tarver 4-12 3-7 13; Krista Arase 0-2 0-2 0; Tiffany Belt 1-3 0-0 2; Katherine Smith 2-3 3-3 8; Naomi Johnson 1-2 0-0 2; Rhonda Johnson 3-6 0-0 6. TOTALS: 25-50 15-22 68.
SONOMA STATE (13–11, 12–8 CCAA): Nichola Hester 0-1 0-0 0; Renee Riberdy 4-5 0-0 9; Lauren Redfield 1-7 0-0 2; Chelsey Armacost 5-15 0-0 10; Danae Wellander 5-12 2-3 12; Jennifer Russo 2-3 2-4 8; Genny Anderson 6-10 0-2 12; Heidi Mertle 1-3 5-6 7. TOTALS: 24-56 9-15 60.
HALFTIME: CSUB 30-28. 3-PT. FG: CSUB 3-8 (Tarver 2-4, Smith 1-1, Arase 0-1, Belt 0-2); SSU 3-12 (Russo 2-2, Riberdy 1-1, Wellander 0-1, Redfield 0-3, Armacost 0-4). REBOUNDS: CSUB 31 (Siaosi 11); SSU 34 (Wellander, Russo 6). ASSISTS: CSUB 17 (Arase 6); SSU 11 (Armacost 3). TURNOVERS: CSUB 14, SSU 14. BLOCKS: CSUB 3 (R. Johnson 2); SSU 2 (Riberdy 2). STEALS: CSUB 5 (Smith 2); SSU 6 (Wellander, Anderson 2). TECHNICALS: None. FOULED OUT: None. OFFICIALS: Chapin, O'Bryan, Lerch. ATTN: 756.
