ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – Alli McDonald's 18-point, 20-rebound performance keyed a huge CCAA victory for the Sonoma State women's basketball team.  The Seawolves used a stellar defensive performance and some early long-distance shooting to lead wire-to-wire in a 46-44 win.  SSU moved to 7-9 in CCAA play with the win, putting them just one game outside of the top-6. 
 
The Seawolves caught fire early with Sheriene Arikat knocking down a 3-pointer on the opening possession and McDonald following with a triple of her own.  Jayme Blackard converted a layup and Sienna Cherwinski buried another three as SSU build a 13-4 lead.  McDonald and Blackard then combined for the final four points of the quarter to send the game to the second at 17-11. 
 
McDonald and Emerson Herrmann started the second with back-to-back baskets as the lead grew to as many as 12 in the second.  McDonald dominated the glass in the half, finishing the first with 12 points and 14 rebounds as the Seawolves led 29-17. 
 
Sonoma State kept the advantage above eight for the entire third quarter, answering several Warriors baskets with a bucket of their own.  Trena Rathjen's basket late in the quarter pushed it back to 12 before a Stanislaus score to end the third made it a 10-point contest entering the fourth. 
 
Laura Smith gave the Seawolves their largest lead with a corner 3-pointer to extend the margin to 13 in the opening minutes of the quarter.  Blackard scored the next basket at the 6:01 mark to keep the lead at 11 but the Warriors would not go away.  Stanislaus State scored the game's next eight points before Cherwinski's free-throw ended the run.  With the score 43-41 in the final minute, McDonald delivered the biggest basket of the night, getting her own rebound and finishing the put back to make it a two-possession game.  The rebound was her 20^th of the contest, setting a new career high.  The Seawolves split free-throws down the stretch and pulled off two big defensive stops to seal the game. 
 
McDonald wrote her name into the history books with this performance, becoming just the fourth player in school history to record 20 rebounds in a game.  She had previously set a career high last week with a 19-rebound performance.  Blackard also reached double figures for the Seawolves with 11 points and 4 assists. 
 
SSU is back in action on Saturday for Senior Night at The Wolves' Den.  The Seawolves will honor their five seniors: Alli McDonald, Jayme Blackard, Emerson Herrmann, Keara Colombo and Trena Rathjen with a ceremony before the game at 5:30 pm.  Visit www.sonomaseawolves.com for links to the live stream on the CCAA Network and live stats.