SEASIDE, Calif. – With double-double performances from Charlene Popoff and Megan Ford paired by a game-high 18 points from Sarah Semenero, the 22nd-ranked Cal Poly Pomona women's basketball team staged a second-half comeback Friday at Cal State Monterey Bay. The CPP rally fell short though, as the Otters escaped with a 67-62 victory.

CSUMB stands at 15-5 overall and 12-4 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) to stay in sole possession of second place. The fourth-place Broncos fall to 15-6 overall and 11-6 through league action.

CPP trailed 41-27 at halftime after shooting just 25 percent through the first 20 minutes. Popoff and Ford continued to work in the paint and once the second half began, the Broncos started to steal back some of the game's momentum.

Semenero also helped to build CPP's rally and ended up with a game-high 18 points while adding eight rebounds. The Broncos made it a one-possession game on a couple of occasions in the final minute but couldn't come up with a tying shot.

Despite CSUMB struggling at the free throw line for much of the contest, the Otters knocked down their final five attempts to squeak out the five-point win.

Both teams started out evenly early in Friday's game but CSUMB caught fire from three-point range toward the end of the first half. Danielle Padilla starred in that effort for the Otters and she finished with a team-high 14 points while going 4-for-6 from beyond the arc.

CPP still trailed by 13 points with 13 minutes to play but didn't back away from the challenge. The Broncos put together a 9-0 run between the 12:35 and 9:07 marks, a span that included four points from Semenero and a three-point play by Ford.

The Otters countered and eventually got the lead back to double digits, 59-49, with under five minutes left. Once again though, CPP showed its resiliency. An 8-1 spurt for the Broncos over the next three minutes brought the CSUMB edge down to just two points.

In the final minute CPP continued to get second chances - the visitors finished with 23 offensive rebounds - but shots down the stretch stopped falling. The Broncos sank one of their final six shots.

Up next for CPP will be a 5:30 p.m. Saturday game at Cal State East Bay.