Cal Poly Women’s Basketball started incredibly strong on Thursday, holding a 17-point lead in the first quarter and maintaining a stable first half of the game. After a five-game losing streak, a win felt so close, especially against Cal State Bakersfield, who are nearly even in stats with the Mustangs (3-17, 1-9 Big West).
But the Roadrunners (7-13, 2-8 Big West) refused to fold. Turning up the pressure and aggression in the second half, Bakersfield clawed its way back and stunned the Mustangs till they sporadically fell in every way.
With only 20 seconds left, the roadrunners were up by two, giving the Mustangs a glimmer of hope, until two fouls resulted in Bakersfield scoring on free throws and eventually winning it all in a close 62-58 final score.
Key Moments
Sophomore guard Vanessa McManus came back to the court after missing the last three games and led the team with 18 points and eight rebounds. Trailing close behind freshman forward Dulci Vail, who chipped in a season-high 17 points and seven rebounds.
Vail led the team to start the game, with an early 2-pointer setting the tone for her high-percentage shooting night.
There was great energy, solid defense, and constant rebounds for the Mustangs, but their momentum became shaky by the second quarter when the Roadrunners clawed their way back to a deficit of 7 points.
Out of nowhere, Bakersfield tapped into their team’s chemistry and gained energy to climb out of the hole they dug themselves into, simultaneously bringing the Mustangs down.
The Roadrunners seized momentum in the third quarter, outscoring the Mustangs by nine. Cal State Bakersfield took a two-point lead entering the fourth quarter and didn’t look back.
In an effort to fight back late in the game, Cal Poly answered with a 5-0 run over at 44 seconds remaining after the roadrunners took a seven-point lead with 2:37 on the clock.
With just five seconds left, two fouls sent Bakersfield to the free-throw line, sealing their win.
Finally, with four seconds left and with the score at 58-62, the Mustangs chucked the ball across the court, almost scored, then missed, ultimately falling short and taking a painful loss at home.
Shaking off the loss
Cal Poly takes on UC Riverside on Saturday and after this nail-biting loss, this will be an even steeper challenge for the Mustangs.
The Mustangs finished their homestand at Mott Athletics Center this weekend, looking for a win to break their six-game losing streak against the Highlanders.