HAYWARD, Calif. — Playing in front of its home crowd Thursday evening at Pioneer Gymnasium, Cal State East Bay earned its third straight victory, pulling away early and never looking back in a 74-52 win over Cal State San Marcos. The Pioneers used a dominant opening stretch and a decisive third quarter to improve to 7-10 overall and 6-5 in CCAA play, moving into sole possession of fifth place in the conference standings.
Cal State East Bay jumped out to a fast and emphatic start, opening the game on a 14-0 run over the first eight-plus minutes. Lailah Carey scored six of the first 14 points, connecting on three field goals as the Pioneers set the tone defensively and dictated play. Cal State San Marcos managed just five points in the opening quarter, while East Bay carried a 14-5 lead into the second.
Lucca Lowenberg opened the second quarter scoring with her second three-pointer of the game just 15 seconds into the frame, sparking a productive stretch for East Bay. The Pioneers poured in 26 points in the quarter and continued to apply pressure defensively. While the Cougars scored 16 points in the period, East Bay remained in control, building a 40-21 advantage by halftime. Balanced scoring fueled the first-half effort, led by eight points from Carey.
Hailey Estrada got things going in the second half with a jumper that doubled the score at 42-21. From there, East Bay widened the gap by limiting Cal State San Marcos to just three field goals in the third quarter. The Pioneers capitalized on turnovers and efficient shooting to stretch the lead to 30 points, taking a 63-33 advantage into the fourth.
Cal State San Marcos outscored East Bay 19-11 in the fourth quarter, but the early cushion proved more than enough for the Pioneers to cruise to the 74-52 final at home.
Estrada led all scorers with 16 points, marking her third straight game in double figures. She finished 6-for-10 from the floor and went 4-for-6 at the free throw line. Carey added 10 points to give the Pioneers two players in double figures.
Meredith Gilbertson continued her strong season on the boards, grabbing 10 rebounds to bring her season total to 163, which ranks fourth in the CCAA. Gilbertson also anchored the defense with a block and five steals. East Bay finished with 20 steals as a team and converted turnovers into 32 points. Taylor Eldredge recorded two steals to move her season total to 38, fourth in the conference, and dished out a season-high six assists.
The Pioneers outrebounded the Cougars 42-38 and shot 45.8 percent from the field while limiting Cal State San Marcos to 32.8 percent shooting.
"We got off to a great start and established a pattern of play on both sides of the ball," head coach Jenny Thigpin said. "We played hard and were able to score points off turnovers and push the tempo. It is a great start to our weekend and we will get back to work tomorrow and prepare for our next one."
Cal State East Bay returns to action Saturday, January 24, hosting Cal State Monterey Bay at Pioneer Gymnasium. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. as the Pioneers look to continue their momentum in CCAA play.
