Riverside, Calif. - The women's basketball team dropped both conference games this weekend. On Thursday, the Golden Eagles fell 54-84 to #22 University of California – Merced, then came up just short in a 63-65 loss to Simpson University. The losses drop the team's record to 2-5 in Cal Pac play and 5-15 overall. La Sierra will start their second trip around the conference this coming weekend.
#22 UC Merced def. La Sierra, 84-54
The Bobcats used a strong second half performance to put the game out of reach. They outscored the Golden Eagles 48-24 in the second half alone, building on a 36-30 lead at the half. The Bobcats also outrebounded La Sierra by a margin of 39-18, including a 14-7 advantage in offensive rebounds.
One of the bright spots in the game for the Golden Eagles was a personal milestone set by senior Alexis Davis who notched her 1000thcareer points, on a free throw, in the second half of play. Davis finished the game with nine points, five rebounds, three steals, and two assists.
Octavia Williams led the team in scoring with 14 points to go along with seven rebounds and five steals. Also scoring in double-figures was Arraiya Perez who added 10 points in the loss.
Simpson def. La Sierra, 65-65
After their loss Merced, the Golden Eagles were looking to rebound against the Redhawks from Simpson University. La Sierra played a solid first half, resulting in a 34-29 lead by the halftime buzzer. The game tightened in the third quarter, but La Sierra still hung onto a 46-44 lead heading into the final frame. The Redhawks finally caught the Golden Eagles, with under five minutes to play, and went on to squeak by La Sierra for the narrow victory.
Both teams struggled to secure the ball, as the Golden Eagles finished with 31 turnovers to Simpson's 27 turnovers. However, the Redhawks did finish with a 26-8 advantage in 'points off [of] turnovers'.
Sierra Cole was the only Golden Eagles player to score in double-digits, with a total of 15 points, after converting 5-of-10 from beyond the arc. Davis finished just shy of a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds. Sienna Jones also added nine points and had a team-high six assists.
The team will start their second trip around the conference with Saturday night's road contest, at #10 University of Antelope Valley. The Pioneers, who defeated La Sierra back on December 8, are currently tied for first place, with Embry-Riddle University, atop the Cal Pac standings. Saturday night's game gets underway at 630pm, in Lancaster, Calif.
