CSUEB women’s hoops win streak snapped

Sonoma State managed to cool off the Cal State East Bay women’s basketball team on Saturday snapping the Pioneers’ five game winning streak.

CSUEB is now 9-3 overall and 4-2 in California Collegiate Athletic Association play after the 68-66 loss at the hands of the Seawolves.

Sonoma State is now 6-4 overall and 4-2 in the CCAA conference competition, currently riding a five game winning streak.

The Pioneers shot just 36 percent from the field and a miniscule 16 percent from behind the three-point line in the first half. The Seawolves capitalized and made more than half of their shots in the first half taking a 33-26 lead into the break.

“We didn’t take care of the little things all night long,” CSUEB Head Coach Suzy Barcomb said.

CSUEB senior guard Stephanie Lopez and junior forward Tori Breshers lit up the scoreboard for the Pioneers in the second half combining for 31 points in 34 minutes on the court.

Despite the offensive onslaught, Sonoma State managed to hold off the Pioneers securing the win at the free throw line late in the contest.

Lopez finished with 18 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and three steals while Breshers totaled a game-high 24 points and five steals in the losing effort.

“Our communication on the backside end, we need to work on that and once we get that on the table we usually do better and focus more,” Breshers said.

The poor shooting night poured over to the free throw line for the Pioneers where they missed two in the first half and ten in the second half. The combination of 14 missed points from the charity stripe and poor shooting contributed to the conference loss.

“Unfortunately, our missed free throws cost us the game tonight,” Barcomb said. “We had plenty of opportunities to earn the win, but lack of focus hurt us in a big way tonight.”

Lopez noticed the lack of focus Barcomb described during a victory earlier in the season over conference foe Cal State Monterey Bay.

“There was just like no fire in the first half and it was a little bit upsetting, but we will work on it,” Lopez said.

CSUEB will have to work on it quick with a two game home stand on the horizon Friday and Saturday at Pioneer Gymnasium in Hayward. Friday the Pioneers take on Cal State Dominguez Hills, 10-4 overall and 5-1 conference at 5:30 p.m. and on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. CSUEB faces CSULA  at 3-7, and 2-4.