ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – The Sonoma State women's basketball team used a stingy defense and a 52-30 rebounding advantage to pick up a huge opening weekend victory over Dominican. The Seawolves toppled the Penguins 70-65 to pick up their first win of the season and even their record at 1-1.
The two teams traded baskets for the first even minutes with four ties on their way to an 8-8 score.
Laura Smith and
Jayme Blackard then recorded back-to-back baskets for SSU to make it 12-8 in the closing minutes of the first. Dominican would pull back even but Smith notched the final basket of the quarter to send the game to second with the Seawolves leading 16-14.
The game remained tight in the second with the Penguins grabbing a brief lead before the score was once again tied, this time at 22-22. Sonoma State then took control, scoring the next eight points with a pair of baskets by Smith and jumpers from
Keara Colombo and Blackard. Dominican answered back with six straight before
Alli McDonald sank a 3-pointer to put the Seawolves back ahead by five. The Penguins finished off the half with a triple of their own to make it 33-31 SSU at the break.
McDonald kept it going in the third, scoring eight points in the first seven minutes and
Sheriene Arikat followed a 3-pointer to put the Seawolves back on top by six with 1:08 remining. Dominican closed the gap in the final minute with SSU taking a 50-48 lead into the fourth.
The final quarter was a wild one with multiple lead changes and ties. The Penguins opened with a 7-0 run to regain the advantage and led 55-50. After free-throws from
Madisyn Clark stopped the run, Dominican drained a triple to take their largest advantage of the night at six. McDonald and Blackard quickly responded with back-to-back buckets and Clark knocked down a corner three to put Sonoma State back on top by one with 4:35 remaining.
The Seawolves were not done with Blackard making another layup and Clark hitting a 3-pointer from the exact same spot to cap off a 12-0 run and make the score 64-58 with just under three minutes remaining. Dominican scored the next four points but Blackard hit another clutch basket to make it a two-possession game in the final minute. SSU then hit four free-throws down the stretch to seal the game and earn the victory.
The big difference in the game was the Seawolves crashing the glass, holding a 52-30 rebound advantage, including 19 offensive rebounds. SSU also limited Dominican to just 40% from the field. \
McDonald recorded her second straight double-double, finishing with 17 points and 13 rebounds, including seven offensive. Blackard had a fantastic all-around game, finishing with 15 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and five steals. Clark scored eight of her 13 points in the fourth quarter, including a pair of clutch 3-pointers.
The Seawolves hit the road next week for a pair of games in Lacey, Washington against Saint Martin's and Western Oregon.
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