Box Score
HAYWARD, Calif. - Despite facing a 13-point deficit in the second half, the Cal Poly Pomona women's basketball team raced back to knock off UC San Diego Friday, 78-75, in semifinal action.
The victory advances the Broncos into Saturday's title game for the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Tournament. The result eliminates the Tritons from NCAA postseason contention, as UCSD finishes its 2010-11 campaign at 20-11 overall.
With Cal State East Bay in Hayward, Calif., being the site of the semifinal and final rounds, CPP will challenge Cal State Monterey Bay at 7:30 p.m. Saturday for the CCAA Tournament title.
Four Bronco players tallied double figures Friday, with
Reyana Colson pacing the squad with 26 points.
Megan Ford notched a double-double performance with 20 points and 13 rebounds.
Sarah Semenero and
J.J. Judge recorded seven of the team's nine three-pointers, as the two picked up point totals of 12 and 11 respectively.
Leading UCSD in scoring was Lauren Freidenberg, who collected 19 points on 7-for-11 shooting. Both squads shot nearly identical percentages from the field and the free throw line, but rebounding proved to be the difference maker. CPP outrebounded the Tritons, 37-27, including a 17-11 edge on the offensive glass.
The two squads traded leads early in the first half but UCSD managed to pick up a 14-2 run capped off by a three-pointer from Daisy Feder and then a Chelsea Carlisle jumper on the next possession.
The Broncos slashed the margin back to single digits in a hurry though, thanks to back-to-back treys by Judge. The last bucket of the half also came on a Judge three-pointer, bringing the score to 34-31 in favor of the Tritons.
The UCSD offense continued to put pressure on CPP, bringing the Tritons' lead up to 11 on four different occasions before stretching it to 13 after a Freidenberg layup at the 12:23 mark. The Broncos didn't back down though, continuing to chip away at the UCSD advantage.
The stellar shooting from Semenero, who hit three-straight treys between the 9:36 and 8:26 marks, brought CPP to within one point. Successful free throws by Ford gave the Broncos the lead for good. The Tritons fouled Ford again with seven seconds left on the scoreboard and the score 76-75, but the junior forward from Newhall, Calif., hit her two clutch attempts to bring the score to 78-75.
A last-second desperation three-point attempt from Carlisle landed well long of the mark and CPP pulled off the semifinal victory.
