ROHNERT PARK, Calif. - The seventh-ranked UC San Diego women's basketball team outscored Sonoma State 27-11 to open the second half and went on to post a convincing 68-52 victory in a California Collegiate Athletic Association matchup on Saturday evening at Seawolf Gymnasium. Sophomore point guard
Chelsea Carlisle scored a game-high 21 points for the Tritons, while
Tiffany Hunter and
Erin Noonan finished with 10 points apiece.
After suffering its first loss of the season at Humboldt State on Thursday, UCSD bounced back in a big way against Sonoma, outscoring the home team 34-21 in the decisive second period to pick up win No. 15 on the season. The Tritons improve to 15-1 overall and 10-1 in the CCAA. UCSD has now won six of seven road games this season and four straight against Sonoma State overall.
The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Seawolves, who fall to 8-9 overall and 6-6 in conference play.
Carlisle was a very efficient 6-of-9 from the field -- including 3-of-6 from the three-point line -- to pace the Tritons, who shot 44% as a team. Carlisle, who entered Saturday's matchup averaging a league-high 18.3 points per game, has now scored 20 or more in three of the last four and eight times overall this season.
Hunter hit 4-of-9 shots from the floor, while Noonan finished 4-of-8.
Annette Ilg added nine points and a game-high eight rebounds, while
Lauren Freidenberg chipped in with eight points and six boards.
After the Seawolves' Stephanie Barnes opened the second half with a three-pointer to tie the game at 34, UCSD scored 12 unanswered points over the next five minutes to take a 46-34 advantage with 15:15 remaining. Carlisle and Ilg combined to hit three consecutive threes during the run, capitalizing on four straight Sonoma turnovers.
A jumper from
Daisy Feder five minutes later put the Tritons in front 57-40, and two free throws from Carlisle with 7:54 left gave UCSD its biggest lead at 61-42.
The Seawolves closed to within 64-50 with 3:19 remaining, but Noonan knocked down a midrange jumper and Ilg scored in the paint to put the game away.
Jennifer Russo scored 10 points off the bench to lead the Seawolves, connecting on 3-of-7 shots from the field. Sonoma State shot just 36% for game, including 29% in the second half. No other player scored more than nine points for the home team, as UCSD held the SSU starters to a combined 23 points.
UCSD led by as many as 12 points in the opening half, taking an 18-6 advantage on a triple by Feder. The Seawolves would come back to within one at 19-18 following a layup from Barnes, but the Tritons outscored the Seawolves 15-6 over the next six minutes to build a 34-24 lead with 2:09 left until halftime.
Sonoma then scored the final seven points of the half to pull within three at intermission.
The Tritons return home next week to face Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State San Bernardino. UCSD will take on the Broncos on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. to begin a four-game homestand.
