THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Cal Lutheran women's basketball kicked off the 2024-25 season with a W, outlasting OUAZ 64-62 in a tightly-contested matchup on Friday evening. 

Alexa Greenwood and Janna Holley led the team with 14 points each and Kaiya Mack was next with 11. Alline Ballard, named SCIAC Newcomer of the Year last season, just missed a double-double with nine points and nine boards, picking up right where she left off as one of the conference's best low-post players. Aliya DiMuro led the team with 11 rebounds while Holley posted five steals. 

"I felt like my team gave me a lot of energy and it was really good to come off the bench into a really good environment. I think we all played really well tonight." Greenwood said. 

Greenwood was 4-6 from three, grabbed five rebounds, and was a pest on the defensive end, facilitating key stops during the Spirit's (6-2) second-half run. 

"You gotta go 100% every play," Greenwood said. 

After holding the Spirit to just 18.2% (6-33) shooting in the first half, the Regals (1-0) enjoyed a 10-point lead at the break. At the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Spirit stormed back, going on a 21-11 run to tie the game at 60-60 with 1:34 left in the game. 

With 0:55 on the clock, Mack laid it up and in to put the Regals ahead, but the Spirit converted two clutch free throws on the other end to tie it back up. The Regals got the ball back and Ballard drew a foul and was sent to the line. She drilled both free throws to make it 64-62 Regals. The Spirit had the last possession with a chance to send it into overtime or win the game, but couldn't find that last bucket despite grabbing three offensive rebounds in that last possession. The crowd could finally exhale, and the Regals were in the win column.

Next, the Regals will face UC Santa Barbara in an exhibition game before resuming their regular season against UC Santa Cruz. They take on the Banana Slugs at home on Friday, Nov. 22 at 6 p.m.