ELLENSBURG, Wash. -  The Cal State East Bay women's basketball team faced a tough challenge in their second game of the CCAA-GNAC Crossover, falling to Central Washington 92-57 on Saturday afternoon at Nicholson Arena.
 

GAME SUMMARY

The Pioneers struggled to find their rhythm against a hot-shooting Wildcats team. Central Washington set the tone early, jumping out to a 32-13 lead after the first quarter and maintaining control throughout the contest. 

Cal State East Bay showed signs of improvement in the fourth quarter, outscoring Central Washington 16-12 in the final period. However, the early deficit proved too much to overcome.
 

NOTABLE STATS

• Taylor Eldredge led the Pioneers with 14 points, shooting an efficient 6-for-11 from the floor and 2-for-2 from the free throw line.
• Brooke Donnelly provided a spark off the bench with 11 points, including a pair of 3-pointers.
• Kelsey Valencia showcased her all-around game, leading the team in rebounds (four) and assists (four) while tying for the team lead in steals (three) with Gwendilyn Aasland.
• Aasland contributed defensively with two blocks in addition to her three steals.
• The Wildcats' offense proved difficult to contain, as they shot an impressive 61.5 percent from the field and 68.4 percent from beyond the arc.
• CWU's Sunny Huerta led all scorers with 20 points, including a perfect 5-for-5 from 3-point range. 

POSTGAME QUOTE

Cal State East Bay head coach Jenny Thigpin following Saturday's loss:
"We had a tough start to our weekend as it wasn't the best game for us today. We lacked effort and did not match their intensity on both ends on the floor. It is a tough loss but we have to put this behind us and get ready to go out and play hard our next game."
 

RECORDS

Cal State East Bay: 0-2
Central Washington: 2-0
 

UP NEXT FOR CAL STATE EAST BAY

The Pioneers will look to bounce back in their next game, facing (RV) Western Washington on Tuesday, November 12. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at WECU Court at Carver Gym in Bellingham, Washington, as Cal State East Bay concludes its three-game stretch in the Pacific Northwest against GNAC opponents to open the 2024-25 season.