ATHERTON, Calif. - Cal State East Bay women's basketball battled through a competitive first half Thursday evening at Haynes-Prim Pavilion, but a decisive third quarter swung momentum as Menlo pulled away for a 74-63 victory in non-conference play.
The Pioneers (0-3) led 30-28 at halftime after a strong opening stretch that featured a 7-0 run in the first quarter and an 11-point advantage early in the second. Lucca Lowenberg sparked East Bay's offense with timely perimeter shooting, and the team's defensive pressure forced early turnovers to build that cushion. Hailey Estrada and Taylor Eldredge added key baskets in transition, while Meredith Gilbertson controlled the glass.
Menlo flipped the script in the third quarter, outscoring East Bay 31-17. The Oaks capitalized on Pioneer turnovers and converted in transition, using an 8-0 run midway through the period to seize control. Despite Lowenberg's hot hand from deep - she hit three triples in the frame - Menlo's balanced scoring and second-chance points proved pivotal. By the end of the third, the Oaks led 59-47 and maintained their advantage through the final quarter.
East Bay showed fight in the fourth, cutting the deficit to single digits after back-to-back layups from Aloha Akaka and Lailah Carey, followed by a 3-pointer from Lowenberg. However, Menlo answered with timely stops and free throws to close out the game.
Lowenberg finished with a team-high 23 points, shooting 7-for-14 from the floor and 6-of-13 from beyond the arc. Eldredge added 11 points and five steals, while Gilbertson grabbed a team-best 11 rebounds. East Bay shot 37.9 percent from the floor compared to Menlo's 44.1 percent.
Head coach Jenny Thigpin reflected on the effort:
"I thought we competed and played hard in the first half but we could not find our stride in the second half on either end of the floor. We need to limit our turnovers, play through mistakes and compete for two halves as we look to pick up a win on the road."
Cal State East Bay will head to Hawaii next week for two non-conference matchups, starting Wednesday against Hawai'i Pacific at the HPU Shark Tank. Tipoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. HST (7 p.m. Pacific).
