PASADENA, Calif. – The Caltech women's basketball team held Pomona-Pitzer to just 31 rebounds on Wednesday as the Beavers topped the Sagehens 61-53 at home. Caltech secured 43 rebounds including 19 offensive boards – a season-high among conference games. Sophomore Kodie Vondra led the team in points with 24, tying her career high.
The team notched their third win in conference play, beating the Sagehens in steals (14 to Pomona Pitzer's 10) and turnovers (16 to Pomona Pitzer's 20).
Pomona-Pitzer scored the game's first points almost a minute into the matchup, but the two teams traded buckets with no team leading by more than four in the first quarter. After going into the second quarter tied at 15, the Sagehens created their largest lead of five at the 7:51 mark and again at 5:38, but the Beavers quickly answered with a two-point shot from junior Claire Perhach. Caltech would go on to retake the lead after Vondra scored on a fastbreak jump shot to make it 28-27. That pivotal jumper was part of a dominant 7-0 run for Caltech as they finished the half up 34-27 and limited the Sagehens to no points in the final 3:50 of the half.
Pomona-Pitzer came back within three points a few minutes into the third quarter, but Caltech pushed it back up to five after a steal by Perhach and a two-point shot by Edwards on that possession. The steal was one of Perhach's three, tying her career high. The Beavers then extended their lead to seven points after a fastbreak layup by junior Milan Robinson with 3:30 to go in the quarter, and then up to 11 as part of another 7-0 run for the home squad.
Caltech led 47-37 going into the final quarter, where Pomona-Pitzer started off hot with a quick layup followed by a three to make it 47-42. Caltech collected three offensive rebounds on their ensuing possession with Edwards finally converting with a layup before the Sagehens immediately responded with another three-ball. But the Hens would come no closer as Edwards dropped in another layup after a Beaver timeout, and a triumphant three-pointer by senior Faith Pinney put the Beavers ahead by nine. After a couple of scoreless minutes, the Beavers responded to a Sagehens layup with another Edwards bucket followed by a three by Vondra, and Caltech led by 11 points with just over two minutes to play. Desperate for possessions, Pomona-Pitzer resorted to fouling in order to get the ball back, and first-year Eleanor Kim made them pay for it at the free throw line as she tallied the Beavers' last points of the contest.
Vondra's 24 points led both teams in scoring as she further contributed five boards, four steals and an assist. Edwards finished with a double-double of 16 points and a game-high 13 total rebounds with eight on offense, and a team-high five assists. Pinney was the third Beaver tallying double-figure points with 12.
Up next for Head Coach Annie Tarakchian and the Beavers is a road game at Chapman University this Saturday, Jan. 21 at 2 p.m.
