THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- The Cal Lutheran women's basketball team played one of its best 20 minutes of the season, rushing out to a 37-31 first half lead over Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) leading Redlands. The lead would be short-lived however as the Bulldogs showed up a different team following intermission and went on a 22-2 to open the second half and then later cruised to a 74-55 victory Saturday night inside of Gilbert Arena. After shooting over 57 percent in the first half, Cal Lutheran was held to just 22.6 percent in the second.
The Regals started hot from the get-go, racing out to a 10-2 lead after Keeley Anderson sank a three-pointer and Chelsea Jacoby and Natalie Stone each had baskets. Redlands would fight back to tie the game at 10-10 at the 15:20 mark but CLU would go on an 8-2 run thanks to another lay-up Jacoby and jump-shots from Sofia Cruz, Katy Lindor and Jessica Salottolo.
Redlands would get to within three at 20-17 with 11:21 left in the first half but Cal Lutheran would bounce back, pushing its lead up to nine after Haley Hodgson made two free-throws and Trianna Owen sank a 10-foot jumper. The Bulldogs would eventually counter with 8-0 run to get within one at 30-29. Unfazed, Cal Lutheran retaliated with baskets from Jacoby and Salottolo and then went into the half up by six after Owen nailed a three-pointer from the corner.
Despite a strong half from the Regals, the Bulldogs proved to be too much in the second half as Colleen Goeser and Brittany Oster combined to score 15 points as a part of 22-2 run to start the second half. Redlands would go on to shoot nearly 57 percent from the floor and made 17-of-24 free-throws to seal the win.
Jacoby led the Regals with 10 points and eight rebounds. Anderson and Taylor Messick each had eight points while Owen finished with seven.
Goeser led all scorers with 25 points as she went 13-of-15 from the free-throw line. Oster was second with 16 points and nine rebounds.
With the win, Redlands improves to 13-3 overall and 6-1 SCIAC while remaining atop the conference standings.
Cal Lutheran (6-9, 2-5 SCIAC) will look to rebound on Thursday, Jan. 22, when it hosts Chapman. Tip-off with the Panthers is set for 7:30 p.m.
Box Score: UR 74 CLU 55
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