THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – Cal Lutheran women's basketball showed its resilience on Monday afternoon, holding off a late surge from Chapman to secure a 69-67 victory inside Gilbert Arena.

Receiving votes in both the WBCA Coaches Poll and the D3Hoops.com Poll, the Regals improved to 14-3 overall and 6-2 in SCIAC play, while the Panthers fell to 10-5 (4-3 SCIAC).

The game was tight from the opening tip. Chapman jumped out early, but CLU responded with timely shooting and energy on the glass. A three from Sydney Heyn got the Regals on the board, followed by another triple from Janna Holley and a strong transition finish by Alline Ballard. An Anna Sherman three-pointer and a layup from Devyn Berry helped settle the Purple & Gold, as Cal Lutheran closed the first quarter tied at 13.

CLU found its rhythm in the second period, using a balanced offensive stretch to gain control. Ballard attacked the paint and got to the free-throw line, while Genessa Ong provided a spark off the bench with a pair of three-pointers. The Regals outscored Chapman 19-12 in the quarter and carried a 32-25 advantage into halftime.

The Regals briefly pushed the lead into double digits early in the third behind a three from Natalie Villamor and a pair of free throws from Kaiya Mack, but Chapman steadily chipped away. Despite Ballard continuing to dominate the glass and finish through contact, the Panthers trimmed the margin to six heading into the final period, setting up a tense finish.

Chapman completed its comeback attempt in the fourth, eventually tying the game at 67-67 with 18 seconds remaining. CLU stayed composed, however, as Holley stepped to the line with two seconds left and calmly knocked down both free throws to seal the win.

Ballard led Cal Lutheran with 17 points and a dominant 15-rebound performance, adding five assists and going a perfect 9-of-9 from the free-throw line in an all-around effort. Heyn finished with 11 points, while Villamor and Sherman added 11 and 10 points, respectively, combining to shoot 5-of-9 from beyond the arc. Holley chipped in eight points, including the decisive free throws, and played all 40 minutes.

As a team, the Regals shot 45 percent from three and went 18-of-20 at the free-throw line, capitalizing on key opportunities down the stretch.

Cal Lutheran will look to build on the win as it continues conference play, returning to action Wednesday, January 21 at Pomona-Pitzer. The Sagehens (10-6, 5-2 SCIAC) enter the matchup riding a four-game win streak.