HAYWARD, Calif. — Cal State East Bay could not overcome a slow start and a decisive run late in the first half, as Chico State pulled away for a 74-56 victory over the Pioneers on Thursday evening at Pioneer Gymnasium.
Chico State opened the night with nine straight points and controlled the tempo early, but a complete five-player substitution sparked East Bay and helped settle the Pioneers into the game. Krista Sheaffer scored on a short jumper to put East Bay on the board, and the new group ignited a push that trimmed the deficit to 14-11 late in the first quarter following a pair of Sheaffer free throws. Chico State held the edge, but a three-pointer by Lucca Lowenberg in the final minute kept the Pioneers within reach, trailing 20-16 after the opening quarter.
East Bay struck first in the second quarter when Taylor Eldredge finished a driving layup to cut the margin to two. The Pioneers continued to battle, staying within two possessions at 24-22 after Sierra Morris converted a hook shot in the paint. From there, Chico State seized control. East Bay was held without a field goal over the final five-plus minutes of the half, while the Wildcats closed the second quarter on a decisive 14-2 run to take a 38-24 lead into halftime.
Chico State stretched the lead to 20 points midway through the third quarter, highlighted by a jumper from Meadow Aragon at the 4:21 mark that pushed the score to 52-32. East Bay responded with its best stretch of the night. Meredith Gilbertson knocked down a jumper at the 4:02 mark to start an 11-2 run, fueled by defensive pressure and transition opportunities. A pair of Eldredge steals led to points, and Lowenberg connected from beyond the arc as the Pioneers trimmed the deficit to 54-45 heading into the fourth quarter.
Despite the momentum, Chico State reasserted control in the final frame. The Wildcats steadily built the lead with second-chance points and fast-break opportunities, winning the fourth quarter 20-11. East Bay continued to compete on both ends, but Chico State closed out the contest for the 74-56 final as the Pioneers saw a third-quarter comeback effort come up short.
Eldredge led the Pioneers in scoring with 13 points on 4-for-8 shooting from the floor and 3-for-4 at the free throw line. Morris added 11 points to also reach double figures. From beyond the arc, Lucca Lowenberg made a pair of 3-pointers, as she has 30, which is third most in the CCAA through Thursday.
All 10 Pioneers who saw action recorded at least one rebound, led by eight from Sheaffer. Aloha Akaka and Eldredge collected three steals apiece as East Bay forced several key turnovers during its third-quarter surge. Chico State finished with a 42-38 edge on the glass, while the Wildcats shot 45.9 percent from the field compared to 32.3 percent for East Bay.
"We have to get better at starting off games as we dug ourselves into a hole early and it's tough to get back into games where you are trailing," Cal State East Bay head coach Jenny Thigpin said. "With that being said we will get to work tomorrow and get ready to defend our home court on Saturday."
Cal State East Bay (4-9, 3-4 CCAA) returns to action on Saturday to close out its four-game CCAA homestand, hosting Cal Poly Humboldt at Pioneer Gymnasium. Tipoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in Hayward.
