Nov. 3, 2009
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Lena Gipson scored a game-high 21 points and sophomore guard Alyssa Shoji made five 3s as Santa Clara University rolled past Cal State University Monterey Bay in the exhibition-opener for both schools Tuesday night.
Gipson made 8-of-11 shots and pulled down 11 rebounds, including a lay-up which allowed Santa Clara to establish a 16-point lead in the closing moments of the first half. The Broncos shot 54 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes, making 17 of their first 31 shots.
Cal State Monterey pulled to within 13, trailing 59-46 with 7:50 left. Helen Suarez totaled 19 points to lead all Otters in scoring.
Santa Clara responded with a 11-5 run down the stretch, leading by as many as 24 with 1:08 remaining after a pair of Kathy Willinsky free throws. Willinsky finished with 12 points generating a number of scoring opportunities in the paint, complementing the guard-play of Shoji who distributed seven assists while grabbing eight rebounds.
The Broncos are preparing for the team's official season-opener Saturday, November 14 at the University of Iowa in the Hawkeye Challenge.