The University of Redlands women's basketball team battled it out with unfamiliar foe Bristol University in Tuesday's non-conference bout in Currier Gym. After trailing by 12 points, the Bulldogs rallied to tie it up with six-and-a-half-minutes to go but struggled to convert their opportunities at the charity stripe, resulting in the 89-97 defeat.
Redlands jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the early part of the contest, as senior guard Kaity Lykins (Simi Valley, CA), junior forward Brinsley Farry (Ventura, CA), and sophomore guard Jade Cheldelin (Portland, OR) all chipped in points.
By the 11-minute mark, the score was knotted at 20 apiece.
A back-and-forth battle ensued until Bristol broke open a 30-29 lead with a 10-point run on a well-balanced scoring attack.
Down 31-43, the Bulldogs looked to Lykins and senior guard Kameran Dage (Walnut Creek, CA) to take over offensively by scoring 11 of the team's final 15 points of the half. With a Farry jumper, Redlands went into the locker room down by six points at 46-52.
The Maroon and Gray successfully made adjustments in the second half, as the squad came out on fire to tie it up at 60 all.
Lykin's pair of free-throws put Redlands ahead for the first time in the second stanza, as the Bulldogs led 61-60 with 12:35 left on the clock.
The teams traded baskets over the next few minutes, before the Bears enjoyed a 7-1 run to gain an 85-77 advantage with 4:04 remaining. Jasmine Matthew's layup capped off the scoring spurt by Bristol.
A late three-pointer by Dage and senior forward Nicole Packard's (Thousand Oaks, CA) fancy three-point play under the basket provided glimpses of hope for the Bulldogs
But both glimmers were extinguished by the Bears' ability to score.
Farry and Lykins both erupted for 20 points for the most in their respective careers. The duo also accounted for 16 rebounds and six assists.
Dage added 15 points, while sophomore forward Nina Newman (San Mateo, CA) and senior forward Victoria Fakalata (East Palo Alto, CA) provided quality minutes off the bench with nine points each.
Overall, Redlands shot 49.2% on the night, while Bristol converted 50% of its shots.
The Bears relied heavily on the offensive contributions of Kejuana Gardner, who poured in 39 points on 15-for-22 shooting. She also had eight rebounds and two steals before fouling out.
Redlands (0-2) hosts the Tip-Off Classic on Friday and Saturday, facing Olivet College (MI) and Eastern Nazarene College at 5 p.m. each day in Currier Gym.