9-8, 4-1
Cal State Fullerton
8-9, 2-2
Ale Scores 20 to Lead Cal Poly to 57-48 Win at Cal State Fullerton
1/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
FULLERTON, Calif. — Senior guard Kristen Ale scored a season-high 20 points on Thursday night in Titan Gym to lead the Cal Poly women's basketball team to a 57-48 Big West road win over Cal State Fullerton. It was the fifth victory in six tries for the Mustangs (9-8 overall), who saw nine different players score while moving to 4-1 (retaining second place) in conference play.
Ale, who also had four assists on the evening, was 7 of 13 from the floor and made all five of her free throws, part of a nearly flawless teamwide performance from the foul line (14 for 15).
It was the second time in a four-game span the Mustangs held the opponent to fewer than 50 points; they're now 4-0 when keeping the other team under 60.
CSF got out to an early 6-2 lead in the opening four minutes, but the Mustangs steadily moved in front, and after the Titans (8-9, 2-2) closed the gap to 22-17 three-and-a-half minutes before halftime, Cal Poly went on an 8-0 run made up of back-to-back layups from freshman wing Dynn Leaupepe, a pair of free throws by her twin sister Lynn, and then two more free throws by junior point guard Lisa Marie Sanchez.
To start the second half, the Titans pulled within single digits (at 32-23) 4:18 in, but the Mustangs quickly responded, going up 41-26 on a 3-pointer by junior guard Beth Balbierz. Balbierz also then provided the largest lead of the game, at 49-32, from the free-throw line with 7:16 remaining.
A late Fullerton rally made it 51-45 with 1:40 to play, but Cal Poly converted all six of its ensuing free throws down the stretch to ice it.
Balbierz, who finished with eight points (as did senior guard Ariana Elegado), bumped her free-throw percentage on the season to .910.
Cal Poly will stay on the road, visiting UC Riverside (11-8, 2-3) for a 5 p.m. tip-off Saturday in SRC Arena.
