HAYWARD, Calif. - Cal State East Bay women's basketball started 2024 with a 54-47 win on Thursday night inside Pioneer Gymnasium, defeating Cal Poly Humboldt in a CCAA matchup. 
 

GAME SUMMARY

The Pioneers opened the game on a 12-4 run capped by a Payton Sterk 3-pointer with 5:11 left in the quarter, which was one of three shots made by her in the quarter from beyond the arc. From that point, the Lumberjacks answered with a quarter-ending 12-2 run to take the lead at 16-14.
 
CSUEB opened the second quarter on a 5-0 spurt, capped by a Camryn Washington jumper with 5:29 left, to take the lead at 19-16. The Lumberjacks would then go on a 7-1 run, capped by a Sara Ahmadpour jumper with 2:49 left in the half, to take their largest lead of the quarter at 23-20. The Pioneers finished the first half on 7-0 run, capped by a Sterk three-pointer with 38 seconds left, to take a 27-23 lead into the halftime intermission.
 
Although the Pioneer led by as much as 10 points in the third quarter, Cal Poly Humboldt climbed back into the game and finished the third quarter ahead 40-39. 
 
At the 5:40 mark of the third quarter, Taylor Linzie made a layup to give the Pioneers a 44-43 lead as they did not look back as they finished the game with a 54-47 win. 
 

NOTABLE STATS

• Sterk scored a game-high 17 points for the Pioneers going 6-for-15 from the floor and 4-for-10 from beyond the arc with one free throw.
• With a double double, including 11 points and 11 rebounds was Jaela Richardson. 
• Taylor Linzie and Camryn Washington had three steals each. 
• Marley Johnson scored a team-high 13 points for the Lumberjacks. 
• The Pioneers shot 31.7 percent from the field, to the Lumberjacks' 32.1 percent.
• Cal State East Bay outrebounded Cal Poly Humboldt 49-34. 

POSTGAME QUOTE

Cal State East Bay head coach Jenny Thigpin following Thursday's win: 
"It was a good start to the new year picking up a victory on our home court. We played solid defense throughout the game and made plays when we needed to in the fourth quarter. Overall it was a great win and hopefully it can give us some momentum going into the next game."
 

RECORDS

Cal State East Bay: 5-7, 3-3 CCAA
Cal Poly Humboldt: 4-6, 2-4 CCAA
 

UP NEXT FOR CAL STATE EAST BAY

The Pioneers play the second game of four straight at home this coming Saturday when they host Chico State. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. from Pioneer Gymnasium.