PASADENA, Calif. – The Caltech women's basketball team wrapped up its home portion of the 2023-24 regular season Saturday afternoon in an exciting game against the top team in the SCIAC.

Before the game, friends and family surrounded the team's graduating seniors in a heartfelt ceremony honoring the contributions and achievements of Hope Arnett (Torrance, Calif. / Chadwick School), Claire Perhach (Carlsbad, Calif. / Sage Creek), Milan Robinson (Anaheim, Calif. / Fairmont Prep) and Claire Zhang (Medford, N.J. / Lenape), with a nod as well to the two seniors of the visiting Cal Lutheran Regals. From the opening tipoff,

Caltech lurched ahead to an early lead on baskets by junior Kathryn Edwards (Centennial, Colo. / Arapahoe) along with back-to-back three-pointers by Arnett and junior Saumya Chauhan (Fremont, Calif. / Mission San Jose). The Regals fought back and retook the lead midway through the second quarter, but a two and a three on consecutive possessions by junior Kodie Vondra (Livingston, Mont. / Park) put the Beavers back on top for a few minutes. The visitors led by two at the halftime buzzer.

Arnett and Edwards took charge early in the third as the teams kept having answers for each other, neither gaining more than a four-point advantage going into the final frame. Unfortunately Caltech fell behind and couldn't catch the first-place team in the conference before time ran out, but a final Braun Gym buzzer-beating three-pointer by Arnett from Perhach wowed the crowd after a valiant effort by a dedicated squad.

Head Coach Annie Tarakchian and the Beavers will finish the regular season on the road this week, first with a Wednesday night contest at University of Redlands before Saturday night's game at Whittier College.