CHICO, Calif. –
Kylie Kiech scored 26 points, the most of any player in the Sonoma State women's basketball program since 2007-08 season on Saturday night against the Wildcats. But it wasn't enough, as the Seawolves fell to Chico State 71-65. The Seawolves fall 6-3 overall and 2-2 in CCAA play. The Wildcats find their first conference victory and rise 1-3 and 6-4 overall.
Kiech was clearly the lead scorer for the Seawolves, but
Jessica Mitz (10) and
Kim Savio (8) also scored top numbers for their team.
Taylor Todd and
Kim Savio had six rebounds apiece for the Seawolves and
Madison Burroughs had the team high 3 assists and 3 steals.
The Seawolves shot over 40 percent from the field and over 76 percent from the free-throw line. As far as points in the paint and second chance points the teams were dead even, and there were 13 lead changes in the game.
The first quarter ended in a tie 20 all, but Sonoma was able to keep a slight lead for most of the quarter.
Taylor Todd opened scoring in the game with a jumper. At three minutes in, Kiech was fouled on a made jumper and scored the extra bucket, as well as scoring a thee pointer to put the Seawolves ahead 20-18 with a minute and a half left.
Turnovers plagued Sonoma for the beginning of the second quarter, allowing Chico to gain the lead 26-20. After being scoreless for six minutes, Kiech scored back to back, first with a made a floater from the middle of the key at 4:18, then a jumper at 3:57.
Madeline Lowe scored next and closed Chico's lead to 2. The Seawolves made a push in the closing minutes. Kiech scored her second trey of the game at 1:09 on the clock and Burroughs scored on a layup. Sonoma ended the first half ahead by one point 31-30.
Kiech opened up the scoring in the third quarter with a left-handed scoop shot from the top of the key. Mitz had a big quarter, scoring her game total of ten points. As a whole, the team seemed to be fully recovered from the turn-over tendencies in the previous quarter and they headed into the final stretch ahead 51-46.
In the fourth quarter, Chico was able to score the three pointers that had been eluding them all game, and capitalize on free-throws. Sonoma maintained somewhat consistent scoring until the tail end of the quarter and the Wildcats won the match-up 71-65.
The Seawolves will next face Cal Poly Pomona on January 30th at 5:30pm at Santa Rosa Junior College as the Wolves' Den is undergoing construction.
