STOCKTON, Calif. – Cal State East Bay 75, Cal Poly Pomona 70. The monkey is gone, the weight is lifted, and the celebration, albeit brief, can commence. The women's basketball team earned the first California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) postseason team victory by any of the athletic programs in the school's five year history in the league in Thursday's quarterfinal contest at Stockton Arena.

"It hasn't hit me yet, and probably won't. But it's a pretty special win today," said East Bay Head Coach Suzy Barcomb. "I wanted this team to have a historical moment for Cal State East Bay and all our sports as we move forward in the Division II cycle."

After having their hearts broken three straight years, the Pioneers filled their hearts with joy on Thursday.

East Bay would need the efforts of many to make history and capture victory. As the team had done throughout most of the season, it got going offensively in the second half. The Pioneers put up 46 points over the final 20 minutes to erase a 13-point deficit early in the period.

Laci Effenberger scored a season-high 17 points with 15 coming in the crucial second half comeback. Effenberger's third 3-pointer gave the Pioneers their first lead of the game with just under five minutes left.

"When (Laci) knocked down that basket, you felt there was a shift (in momentum). She was instrumental in the first half of keeping us in the game," praised Barcomb. "Laci provided us with leadership and calmness. She is so competitive and was a big reason why we were able to pull out the win."

On the ensuing possession after Cal Poly Pomona regained a 58-57 lead, Shannon Bland knocked down a 3-pointer to give East Bay a lead it would hold until the final buzzer. Her only field goal of the game was arguably the most important for the Pioneers as Stephanie Lopez found her in the corner for three.

The comeback was necessary following a tentative start which saw Cal Poly Pomona take a 9-1 lead over the opening four minutes. The East Bay players felt the nerves early on including the team's offensive leader in Lopez.

"I think we were nervous in the beginning. Late in the first half it began to fade and we started scoring. At halftime everyone decided to get over the nerves. We decided to pick it up and play together," said Lopez.

CSUEB trailed by as many as 16 in the first half but cut the halftime deficit to nine with an Alyssa Palma 3-pointer and buzzer beating jumper from Lopez to end the period. The second leading scorer in the CCAA scored eight first half points on just 2-of-11 shooting.

Tori Breshers recorded five first half blocks including two on the back-to-back CCAA Player of the Year in Jada Blackwell. She would collect six on the day to tie the program's single game (6) and career blocks record (115). However she picked up four personal fouls over the span of six second half minutes and watched from the bench.

Meanwhile Blackwell led all players with 26 points and 10 rebounds. However she was 1-of-6 from distance and in the second half the Broncos combined to knock down only 1-of-11 from beyond the arc.

Teammate Ariel Marsh finished with 16 points on 5-of-17 shooting from the floor. Blackwell and Marsh combined to take 33 of the team's 54 shots, and score 42 of the Broncos' 70 points.

Lopez led East Bay with 20 points and three assists in the win. Remy Puou added 11 points on 5-of-12 shooting from the field.

East Bay senior Micah Walker was on the three previous teams which reached the CCAA Championships but failed to earn that historic win. On Thursday, she described what it felt like to finally get that elusive victory.

"It was a good team win, and that's what makes this special. It took all of us to get here," said Walker. "It's a good feeling, but we have a short memory. We are already thinking about Humboldt."

No. 6 Cal State East Bay (19-10, 13-9 CCAA) will face No. 2 seed Humboldt State (23-4, 19-3 CCAA) on Friday, March 6, at 2:35 p.m.