SAN JOSE, Calif. – A double-double from Ashlyn Herlihy helped Santa Clara women's basketball snap its three-game losing streak with a 62-56 win at San Jose State Saturday evening.

Despite leading for over 35 minutes, the Broncos (6-4) lead was never comfortable, with the Spartans (1-8) continually using small runs to stay close and even got within a point with under a minute to go in the game.

"This was a good effort on our part to come on the road, play in a different gym, get out in front, and hold them off and make some plays late that were game-winning type plays. It was good experience for us.," Santa Clara head coach Bill Carr said.

Herlihy scored a game-high 20 while also pulling down 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the season.

"Ashlyn played with a lot of energy today," Carr said. "I thought she did it on both ends of the floor. As a group we rebounded really well. A lot better than we had been."

San Jose State scored seven in a row over 2:13 late in the fourth to cut the Santa Clara lead to 57-56. Tia Hay responded with a tough layup and added a pair of free throws with 27 seconds left to give the Broncos some breathing room.

Hay added 17 while dishing out four assists to help shoulder the offensive load.

"In the second half we got to the rim on them a couple of times and Tia made a nice play late to put us up three," Carr said. "Then we got a couple stops and were able to put them away."

Not to be forgotten, Lexie Pritchard finished the day with nine points in just 12 minutes of action.

"It's really exciting for the program to have Lexie come in and make a contribution like that," Carr said. "She made some really big veteran-type plays. Credit to her and her tenacity, her toughness. She's a good ballplayer."

After Santa Clara had built its biggest lead of the game at 46-36 with 1:43 to go in the third behind an 8-0 run, San Jose State answered with seven in a row, capped by a jumper from Fieme'a Hafoka in the first minute of the fourth to make it 46-43.

Hafoka scored a team-high 17 points on 8-for-11 shooting from the floor while adding six assists.

NOTES

• Santa Clara is now 29-25 all-time against San Jose State.
• The Broncos changed their starting lineup (Hay, Toleafoa, Jimenez, Herlihy, Fatuesi) for the first time this year. It had been Wolph, Hay, Jimenez, Herlihy, Yearwood in the first nine games.
• Santa Clara outrebounded San Jose State 44-34.

UP NEXT
Santa Clara returns home to face Grand Canyon Thursday at 2 p.m.

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