PASADENA, Calif. – Caltech Women's Basketball opened up the 2022-23 season Saturday afternoon at Braun Athletic Center, hosting the UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs.

Several impactful individual performances highlighted the day despite the final score. Sophomore Kathryn Edwards, who averaged 14.3 points per game last year, led both teams in scoring with 18 points, including a pair of three-pointers and a perfect four of four from the free throw line. Her ball control efforts earned six rebounds, a steal and a blocked shot.

Teammate Kodie Vondra also scored in double figures, netting 10 points, also providing three assists and picking up a steal. Milan Robinson was stellar at the free throw line, sinking a game-high eight attempts and stealing a couple possessions from the Slugs in her 13-point day.

Junior Claire Perhach's skills and presence in the paint resulted in a game-high seven defensive boards and one more offensive rebound, and senior Faith Pinney was the team's top playmaker with a trio of assists.

The stacked Santa Cruz roster would have been challenging enough even without the Beavers missing several key players and only utilizing three substitutes. That said, while the Slugs had the advantage on bench points, Caltech's starters outscored Santa Cruz's by a 51-50 edge. The Beavers additionally bested the guests in three-point and free throw shooting percentages, so there's much reason for optimism in the earliest stages of the new season.

Head Coach Annie Tarakchian and the Beavers just have a couple days of rest before hosting Bethesda University (Anaheim, Calif.) on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 6 p.m.