Merced, Calif. - The Bobcats finished with five players in double-figures, in defeating the women's basketball team 70-60, on Saturday night.

Saturday night's game was the first of three straight road tests, to close out the regular season, for the Golden Eagles. The loss puts the two teams in a tie for the third seed, with Merced now holding the tiebreak advantage should it come down to that.

It was the Golden Eagles who jumped out to an early 15-2 lead, before the Bobcats stormed back to take a 20-19 lead, with just under five minutes remaining in the first half.

By the halftime break, La Sierra trailed 29-26 to the Bobcats.

The Golden Eagles quickly cut the lead to 28-29 with a basket by Tina Fantroy right out of the halftime locker room. But that would be as close as the Golden Eagles would get to re-claim the lead for the rest of the game.

The Bobcats answered that basket with an 11-2 run, extending their lead to 40-30. Merced went on to lead by as many as 15 points and were able to hold off the Golden Eagles who mounted a couple of mini-runs that cut into their lead.

Tina Fantroy led the team with 20 points, including eight rebounds. Kristen Brummett finished with a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Faith Fantroy finished just short of a double-double with 10 rebounds and nine points, including five assists.

The team will now travel back to northern California to close out the regular season with a game at Pacific Union College, followed by a game at Menlo College. The Golden Eagles needs one more win to clinch a playoff berth for the second year in a row.