AZUSA, CALIF. -- Concordia University used a 10-point half-time lead to help hold off Azusa Pacific's late second half flurry and defeat the Cougars, 69-60, in a Golden State Athletic Conference women's basketball game Friday night.
The Eagles built a 16 point advantage (54-38) with a 20-14 run in the first 10 minutes of the second half before Azusa Pacific began to mount a comeback. The Cougars, with a 17-6 run over the next 7 minutes, would get as close as 5 points (60-55), on a pair of Catherine Solorio free throws, but Concordia never let the Cougars get any closer.
The Eagles were paced by Melissa Ridge, who led all scorers with 17 points, including 3 treys. Taryn Commins also added 16 points, while Allison Fortner chipped in with 14. Priscilla Bendik and Jaime Gast pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds. For the Cougars, only 2 players tallied double figures, led by Jessica Herman with 12 points and Kelly Speas with 10 points. Herman added a team-high 8 rebounds.
Both teams were plagued by foul trouble as the 2 teams combined for 37 fouls and 39 free throws. The Cougars saw 4 players with 4 fouls, while the Eagles had a player foul out (Bendik) and 3 others with 3 or more fouls.
Azusa Pacific was also hurt by poor shooting from the floor, converting only 33 percent (22-for-67) of its shots from the floor for the game, including just 27 percent (9-for-34) in the first half.
In a sloppy first half, which saw the 2 teams combine for 19 turnovers, Concordia went on a 23-13 run over the final 11 minutes of the first half to take a 10-point advantage (34-24) into the locker room.
With the victory, Concordia moves to within a half game of first place in the GSAC, improving to 11-8 overall, 4-2 in the conference, while the Cougars fall a half game back of first place So. Cal College, dropping to 14-6, 4-2 in the GSAC. Azusa Pacific is next in action Tuesday night when it hosts Fresno Pacific at 5:30 p.m.
