Despite leading for the majority of the game, the University of Redlands women's basketball team shouldered a tough 65-72 loss to Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) foe, Pomona-Pitzer Colleges on Saturday night.

Back and forth action commenced between the two teams until the Bulldogs opened up a 9-2 run that was capped off by a triple from sophomore guard Alyssa Downs (South San Francisco, CA) to make it 13-7 at the 5:36-point in the first quarter. The Sagehens cut their deficit down to three points, but sophomore guard Chyanne Pagkalinawan (Torrance, CA) scored two consecutive jumpers to extend the Maroon and Gray lead to 19-14 with two minutes to go in the period. As time expired, first-year guard Alexis Machain (San Diego, CA) connected on a tough jumper to head into the second quarter with a 23-16 advantage.

Near the midway point of the second stanza, the Sagehens knotted the game at 25-all, but Downs stepped behind the arc for a three-pointer to regain a 28-25 lead. The triple helped the Maroon and Gray close the half on a 10-2 run that was also aided by five straight points from first-year guard Marisa Urbano-Sedlund (San Diego, CA). After Urbano Sedlund's three-pointer in the final minute, the Bulldogs went into the half with a 35-27 lead.

Redlands came out the gates energized on a 12-5 run, that included six consecutive points from senior guard Cassandra Lacey (Victorville, CA), which gave the Bulldogs their largest lead of the game at 46-32 with 4:45 left in the third.

Unfortunately, the Sagehens began to chip away at their deficit and came back to within three at 47-50 heading into the final 10 minutes of action.

In the fourth, Pomona-Pitzer scored on their first two baskets to tie the game at 52, but Lacey's mid-range jumper put the Bulldogs back ahead, 54-52 with 7:34 to go. However, the Sagehens went on a 10-2 run over the next four minutes to gain a 62-56 advantage with 3:24 remaining. Sophomore forward Hannah Jerrier (Canton, MA) stepped up to knock down two of her free throws and a layup to come to within 60-64 in the final minute, but the Maroon and Gray were forced to play the foul-game down the stretch, leading to a 65-72 loss.

Overall, Lacey and Downs performed well with 15 points each, while Lacey added five rebounds and Downs went 3-for-4 from beyond the arc. Junior forward Kellis Dack (Vancouver, WA) and Jerrier nearly notched double-doubles with eight points and nine rebounds from Dack, and 10 points and eight boards from Jerrier.

Redlands (15-6, 10-2 SCIAC) picks back up with a road contest against Chapman University on Wednesday, February 12, at 7 p.m.