LOS ANGELES — Cal State East Bay closed out the 2025 calendar year with its first conference loss, falling 93-63 to Cal State LA on Sunday afternoon at University Gym. The Pioneers briefly led midway through the first quarter, but the Golden Eagles controlled the pace from there and pulled away late.

East Bay's only lead came at the 4:09 mark of the first when Taylor Eldredge knocked down a 3-pointer for a 10-8 advantage. Cal State LA responded with a 10-3 run to end the quarter ahead 18-13. After the Golden Eagles stretched the margin to seven early in the second, layups by Eldredge and Lailah Carey cut it to 20-17. LA answered with a surge that pushed the lead to 14 before Carey's layup at the buzzer trimmed the deficit to 37-25 at halftime.

Momentum seemed to swing toward the Pioneers (4-6, 3-1 CCAA) when Carey hit a 3-pointer just 32 seconds into the third, but Cal State LA continued to counter every push and carried a 61-46 lead into the fourth. The Golden Eagles opened the final quarter with an 11-2 run and never looked back.

Carey scored a season-high 15 points and matched her career best with four steals. Aloha Akaka also had 15 points, adding three steals and two blocks. Meredith Gilbertson led East Bay on the glass with 12 rebounds. The Pioneers shot 33.3 percent from the field compared to 52.2 percent for Cal State LA, which held a 52-39 rebounding edge.

"We did not have the start we needed to have, especially on the road," head coach Jenny Thigpin said. "We dug ourselves a hole early and it was tough to come back from although the effort was better in the 2nd half. That wasn't who we are. After a long week and three hotel changes, the travel caught up to us, and it showed in how we played."

Cal State East Bay returns home Friday, Jan. 2, to face Cal State San Bernardino at Pioneer Gymnasium. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.