HAYWARD, Calif. — On Sunday afternoon at Pioneer Gymnasium, Cal State East Bay fell to No. 14 Cal Poly Pomona, 77-61, despite a strong fourth-quarter surge that showcased resilience and hustle.
The Pioneers opened with a brief lead in the first quarter before the Broncos closed the frame on a run to take a 22-17 advantage. Sierra Morris accounted for eight of East Bay's points in the opening period, setting an early tone.
Pomona extended its lead in the second quarter behind hot shooting from beyond the arc, knocking down six 3-pointers in the half and four in the period alone. Morris continued to pace East Bay with 12 points by the break, eight coming from the free throw line, but the Broncos carried a 45-32 lead into halftime.
The third quarter proved pivotal as Cal Poly Pomona outscored the Pioneers 24-9, building a 69-41 cushion heading into the fourth. Hailey Estrada's baseline jumper at the buzzer capped East Bay's scoring in the frame.
Cal State East Bay (4-7, 3-2 CCAA) responded with grit in the final quarter, opening on a 16-2 run fueled by turnovers, offensive rebounds, and balanced scoring. The Pioneers outscored Pomona 20-8 in the fourth, but the comeback fell short as the Broncos secured the win.
Morris led East Bay with 16 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double, going 10-for-11 from the free throw line — the most by a Pioneer since February 2023. Meredith Gilbertson also posted a double-double with 10 points and a team-high 11 rebounds, adding five steals. Lucca Lowenberg scored 13 points, including three baskets from beyond the arc, while Aloha Akaka chipped in 12.
East Bay dominated the glass with a 42-32 rebounding edge, but Pomona's efficiency made the difference, shooting 52.4 percent from the field compared to the Pioneers' 32.3 percent.
Cal State East Bay head coach Jenny Thigpin spoke about the game following Sunday's action. "It was a tough way to end our home weekend as we struggled on the defensive side of the ball to start the game," stated Thigpin. "We did not follow our scouting report and against good teams you can't do that, especially early. I liked our effort in the fourth quarter and will hopefully build off that and bring it this week in practice and prepare for next weekend."
The Pioneers continue their homestand Thursday, Jan. 8, hosting Chico State at 5:30 p.m. in Pioneer Gymnasium. It will be the third of four straight CCAA home games in a nine-day stretch.
