ORANGE, Calif. – The University of Redlands Women's Basketball team got back on track Saturday afternoon beating Chapman University 75-57 on the road.
With the win the Bulldogs get closer to the regular season Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Championship, they improve to 14-4, 10-2 SCIAC, and stretch their lead in the standings to two games over Whittier (9-4) and Pomona-Pitzer (7-4).
The Maroon and Grey were able to withstand the hot shooting of Julia Strand who had a game high 26 points by shooting 46.2% from the field, 37.5% from three-point territory, and 69.2% from the free-throw line. UR outrebounded the Panthers 45-33, picked up 13 points off turnovers, added 34 points in the paint and got 21 points from the bench.
Three Bulldogs recorded double figures with Hannah Jerrier (Canton, MA) leading the charge with 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting along with eight rebounds and two assists. Angelina Roque (San Diego, CA) added 16 points with four boards, an assist and two steals and Chyanne Pagkalinawan (Valencia, CA) chipped in with 10 points, five assists and two steals.
Redlands saw themselves trailing 20-15 after the first quarter, but made some adjustments in the second to outscore CU 18-11 to take a 33-31 lead into halftime. After that it was all UR outscoring the Panthers 42-26 across the final 20:00 minutes to come away with the road victory.
Trailing 27-22 with 5:22 to play in the 2nd Quarter Leah Tan (Alhambra, CA) sparked a comeback with a triple that led to a 14-4 run, which included a pair of Roque jumpers, two Starla Murillo (Fremont, CA) layups and a Monique Carrasco (Calexico, CA) three-pointer that put UR on top 33-31.
Five straight by Chapman to start the 3rd Quarter would swing the momentum putting them back on top 36-33. But it wouldn't hold as nine straight by the Maroon and Grey would take it right back moving the deficit to eight (44-36). The Panthers tried to stay within striking distance cutting into the lead with six straight soon after, but another three ball would spark another run for the Maroon and Grey this time from Alyssa Downs (South San Francisco, CA) who would connect from deep twice within a minute that helped give UR a 54-42 lead.
Roque and Downs made it a 15-point game early in the 4th Quarter and minutes later Julia Balestreri (Pleasanton, CA), Downs, and Pagkalinawan would stretch it to 20 following nine unanswered. Chapman tried to chip away at the lead, but the Bulldog defensive unit was tough to score on late as they would come away with the huge SCIAC victory.
For the game Downs added nine points, but totaled nine rebounds and four assists. Balestreri finished with eight points, 12 boards and two blocks and Murillo provided a seven-point, five rebound effort.
Redlands has a short turnaround as they welcome in Occidental College on Monday, February 7 beginning at 7:00pm.