California Baptist University
Holy Names
Hawks Swoop Late
12/8/2013 12:07:00 AM | Women's Basketball
OAKLAND, Calif. --- Looking for its first PacWest victory, California Baptist University came out strong Saturday afternoon but couldn't survive a late push from Holy Names to ultimately fall 72-69.
With the loss, CBU falls to 2-6 overall and 0-2 in the PacWest. The Hawks improve to 6-2 on the season, 2-0 in conference.
Three Lancers finished in double figures, led by Olivia Weber with 16 points (6-for-12). Elise Shelton (7-for-15) and Cassidy Mihalko (6-for-15) followed closely behind with 15 and 14 points, respectively.
Coming into the contest, Olson wanted his team to make better transitions into attack and score more points in the paint. In the first half, the Lancers scored 16 points—double that of the Hawks—in the paint to hold a five-point advantage at halftime.
Both teams battled to gain control of the game in the early minutes, tying the score three times in the first five minutes. With the score even at 10, CBU scored 12 unanswered points to take a commanding 22-10 lead with 12:27 left in the half.
HNU answered with a big run of its own, however, to put the score within one at 27-26 with just under eight minutes remaining before the break.
The Lancers tried to shake the Hawks off their tail to take back their lead, opening it up to six points, but once again HNU battled back to tie the game at 37 with 2:32 on the clock.
CBU held the Hawks to just two points the rest of the half, heading into the locker rooms with a 44-39 upper hand at halftime.
Hoping to build momentum in the second half, CBU opened it with a 5-2 run to go ahead by eight points, but the Hawks evened the game at 59 with just over six minutes remaining on a three-point play from Garysha Youngblood. A minute later, HNU took its first lead of the game at 61-59 heading down the stretch.
Jasmine Sauser responded for the Lancers to tie the game for the sixth time at 61, but the Hawks finished a free shot to go in front once more at 62-61 and 4:32 remaining.
Cambronero made a shot from distance to tie the game 69 and put life into the Lancers, but the Hawks took the wind out of CBU's sails as it grabbed a layup and drew a foul in the process. Sonia Aguilar finished her shot from the line—her 26th point of the day—to put HNU up 72-69 and 5.3 seconds left.
Hoping for a dramatic buzzer-beater, the Lancers couldn't get the shot off to fall to Holy Names, 72-69.
CBU returns home after seven games on the road to host Fresno Pacific on Saturday, Dec. 14. The two teams tip off at 5 p.m., with the Lancers hoping to shake off their series of unfortunate losses and get back on track.
