Photo by: Justin Hyon, Caltech Yearbook

PASADENA, Calif. (Feb. 12, 2022) – The Beavers women's basketball team wrapped up their home schedule for the 2021-22 season with a wild contest against SCIAC rival Pomona-Pitzer Colleges on Saturday evening.

Junior Sahana Saikumar (Arcadia, Calif. / Arcadia) gave the Beavers the first points of the game with a jumper on the opening possession and after the Sagehens responded with a three, she nailed another jump shot to regain the lead at 4-3. She followed that with yet another to cap a six-point Caltech run for a 12-9 margin with just under three minutes to go in the quarter. 

In the second quarter, after Pomona-Pitzer racked up a 25-14 lead, the Beavers mounted a comeback with an eight-point run of field goals by freshman Kodie Vondra (Livingston, Mont. / Park), Saikumar and sophomore Claire Perhach (Carlsbad, Calif. / Sage Creek), whose commanding presence in the paint often proved too much for the Sagehens' defense. Perhach racked up a team-high 18 points in her highest-scoring game of the season, just missing a double-double with nine rebounds including a game-high four on offense. The Beavers would claw their way back to within three points as a late layup by junior Faith Pinney (Spokane, Wash. / Gonzaga Preparatory School) sent Caltech into halftime trailing by just three points, 27-24. 

Perhach netted the first two Caltech baskets of the second half, trading points with the guests before Pinney tied the game at 33-33 with a three-pointer at the 6:21 mark of the third. After more back-and-forth scoring, sophomore Milan Robinson (Anaheim, Calif. / Fairmont Prep), laid one up and in for a 39-37 lead. Just before the end of the period, Perhach made a layup with six seconds on the clock, and Pinney expertly intercepted the ensuing in-bound pass and knocked down a jump shot at the buzzer, bringing the crowd and the Caltech bench to their feet for a 44-41 lead at the break. 

Sophomore Hope Arnett (Torrance, Calif. / Chadwick School) put the Beavers ahead 46-44 early in the fourth with a layup, and with under five minutes to go they led 49-48, and Saikumar splashed a jumper in the final minute for a 53-52 edge before the Sagehens would capitalize on some free throws to seal the victory. 

Saikumar picked up her fifth double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds, also dishing a game-high six assists for a 2021-22 personal best. Pinney also scored a dozen points with four boards, two steals and an assist. 

Head Coach Bridgette Reyes and the Beavers will head to the University of Redlands to face the Bulldogs on Feb. 16.