ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – The Sonoma State women's basketball continued their torrid run on Thursday evening, opening CCAA play with an 83-77 overtime win against the defending Conference Champions.  The Seawolves took down Cal State Dominguez Hills to earn their fifth straight victory and improve to 5-1 on the season. 
 
SSU started strong, jumping out to a 17-9 lead in the first before the Toros closed the period on an 8-0 run.  Alli McDonald caught fire from the start, scoring the Seawolves first four points before Emerson Herrmann scored the next six.  McDonald then followed with a 3-pointer and another basket before Jayme Blackard converted a jumper to make it 17-9.   
 
After the game moved to second knotted at 17-17 the Seawolves began knocking down some triples to open the quarter.  McDonald hit her second of the game and Madisyn Clark followed with back-to-back threes to put SSU back on top by five at 28-23.  The Toros flipped the score from there, scoring the next 11 points and taking a six-point lead into the break.
 
Cal State Dominguez Hills stretched their lead to eight early in the third but the Seawolves clawed their way back to even the game at 40-40 with a 10-2 run.  Freshman Jennifer Morena started the run with her first career basket on her first career shot, a 3-pointer from the wing.  Herrmann later tied the game on a layup.  The Toros responded with a run of their own to lead again by eight but once again SSU had an answer.  Four straight free-throws and a 3-pointer by Alli McDonald in the final 71 second made it a one-point game heading into the fourth. 
 
McDonald opened the fourth with another 3-pointer to give the Seawolves their first lead since the second quarter.  CSUDH regain the advantage and led by four halfway through the quarter.  Blackard then scored seven straight SSU points to once again out the Seawolves on top and Sienna Cherwinski sank a pair of free-throws to make it a 70-67 game with one-minute remaining.  The Toros would not go away however, scoring a pair of baskets in the final minute to send the game to overtime tied at 71-71. 
 
Overtime saw 98 seconds go by before anyone scored with Herrmann sinking two freebies to give the Seawolves the first lead.  The game remained tight into the final two minutes with SSU leading 75-74.  From that point on the Sonoma State freshman, Moreno and Cherwinski took over.  Moreno first connected on a 3-pointer to make it a four-point game with 1:30 remaining.  In the final minute she then found Cherwinski on a backdoor cut for a big layup.  After the Toros cut it back down to three, Cherwinki delivered the final blow with a corner 3-pointer with 20 seconds remaining to seal the win. 
 
McDonald was unstoppable for the Seawolves, leading all players with 27 points and 13 rebounds, hitting 4 of 6 from 3-point range.  Blackard added 17 points and 5 assists while Herrmann also reached double figures with 16.  Moreno and Cherwinski scored 7 apiece, all in the second half and combined for 7 steals. 
 
The Seawolves are back in action on Saturday afternoon when they host Cal State LA in The Wolves' Den at 1:00 pm.  Live video will be available on the CCAA Network and live stats through the link at www.sonomaseawolves.com