CLAREMONT, Calif. - Cal Lutheran led by six at halftime against Pomona-Pitzer Thursday night but the Sagehens outscored the Regals 37-21 in the second half to rally for a 56-46 victory in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) opener for both schools. The Regals now fall to 2-2 in their last four SCIAC openers.
Cal Lutheran actually dominated in initial stages, holding Pomona-Pitzer scoreless on 25 of its 35 first half possessions. The Regals limited the Sagehens to just 7-of-25 shooting (28%) including 0-7 from the three-point line. Leading 15-12 with 5:56 left to play the first half, Cal Lutheran went on a 10-3 run over the next four minutes and capped the streak with a three-pointer from Jessica Salotollo. CLU would eventually head into halftime up 25-19.
Pomona-Pitzer used six different scorers in 11-4 run to open the second half and took the lead at 31-29 with 14:38 left to play in the game. Cal Lutheran would cut the Saghehen lead to two points twice; the first coming at 33-31 after Keeley Anderson sank a pair of free-throws. A minute later, Chelsea Jacoby nailed a jumper to cut the lead to 35-33.
But the Regals would get no closer as Pomona-Pitzer was able to separate from Cal Lutheran thanks to a 10-2 run over the next five minutes.
Trailing 53-38 with less than two minutes to play, Jacoby and Sofia Cruz combined for six points to cut the lead to eight but Ruthie Shapiro hit two free-throws to seal the victory for Pomona-Pitzer.
Cal Lutheran got nine points from Cruz and Jacoby and eight more from Salotollo but couldn't get hot from the three-point line, hitting just 4-of-19 from beyond the arc. CLU's post players Hayley Hodgson and Taylor Messick combined for 11 points and five rebounds. Anderson and Natalie Stone each hauled in eight rebounds. Stone also led the Regals with five assists and two steals.
Pomona-Pitzer had three scorers in double-figures led by Jenn Okonkwo's 14 points, 11 coming after intermission. Basha Brulee-Wills and Alaina Woo each had 10 as Pomona-Pitzer shot 45 percent from the field in the second half
With the win, Pomona-Pitzer improves to 2-4 and 1-0 in the SCIAC.
Cal Lutheran (2-2, 0-1 SCIAC) won't have to wait long to get another shot at its first conference win as it travels to Chapman on Saturday, Dec. 7. Tip-off in Orange, Calif. is set for 7:00pm.
Box Score: PP 56 CLU 46
CLU Twitter: https://twitter.com/clusports
Follow Natalie: @RegalsHoops
CLU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clusports
Regals Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cluwomensbasketball
