SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Central Washington University Women's Basketball Team (3-0) earned a nail-biting 70-66 victory over NCAA Division II newcomers, the Vanguard Lions (0-3) on the campus of Westmont College in Murchison Gymnasium. Asher Cai led all scores with 28 points. 
 
INSIDE THE MATCHUP:
 

• Final: Central Washington (70), Vanguard (66)
• Records: CWU (3-0), VU (0-3)
• Location: Murchison Gymnasium, Santa Barbara, Calif. 

 
QUOTING HEAD COACH RANDI RICHARDSON
 
"Vanguard is a very good team and they shot the ball extremely well tonight. They challenged us in stretches in a lot of different ways. Our team had to adjust and find a way to grind out enough stops and scores to get the win. Now, it's onto the recovery battle for another big test tomorrow vs a very good Westmont team."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
 

• Sunny Huerta started things off with a bang drilling a three-pointer just 45 seconds into the game. 
• The Lions got on the board shortly after with a jumper to make it 3-2 CWU with 8:53 left in the first quarter. 
• CWU found themselves up nine-points after a three by Annalee Coronado and a three and a jumper by Huerta to make it 15-6 CWU with 3:24 left in the first quarter. 
• An 11-2 run by the Lions gave them the 18-17 lead to end the first quarter. 
•  Cai opened the second quarter with a big three to make give CWU the lead back, 20-18 with 8:56 left in the second. 
• The second quarter proved to be a back-and-forth affair until a free-throw by Jordy DeMott sparked an 8-0 run by the 'Cats to make it 39-29 with 1:51 left in the second. 
• A 5-0 run by Vanguard sent the crimson and black into halftime with the 39-34 lead. 
• Shelby Blodgett kept the 'Cats in the game coming out of halftime, as she answered the Lions for the first four minutes of the quarter, scoring the 'Cats first seven points to make it 46-42 CWU with 6:15 left in the third. 
• Back-to-back three's by Cai and Huerta saw CWU lead 52-44 with 3:52 left in third. 
• The teams went bucket-for-bucket until three free-throws by Cai to end the quarter sent the 'Cats up 57-49 heading into the final 10 minutes. 
• The Lions struck a jumper to open the fourth, but Cai put the 'Cats on the board in the fourth with a three and an and-one to make it 61-51 CWU with 6:52 left in the game. 
• An 11-2 run by the Lions saw CWU call a timeout clinging to a 63-62 lead with 3:21 left in the game. 
• Vanguard would take the lead with 2:10 left, but buckets by Cai and Coronado gave CWU the 67-64 lead with 28 seconds left. 
• The Lions nabbed another bucket, but two free-throws by Cai and one by Capri Sims secured the 70-66 victory. 

 
STATS FROM THE GAME:
 

• Cai finished the game as the leader in points with 28. She added nine rebounds, three assists, and one steal. 
• Huerta also finished in double figures with 18 points, adding five rebounds, four assists, and two steals. 
• Blodgett and Coronado each added seven points with Blodgett adding three rebounds and one assist and Coronado adding one rebound, four assists, and one steal. 
• Malia Smith added six points off the bench, paired with three rebounds, and one steal. 
• Sims finished the game with three points, five rebounds, and one assist while Jordy DeMott tacked on one point, three rebounds, and one assist. 
• Keira Marsh finished the game with one rebound and one steal while Aliyah Finch finished with five rebounds. 

 
SERIES HISTORY:
 

• This was the first ever meeting between the two squads. 

 
UP NEXT:
 

• CWU will wrap up their time in Santa Barbara at the GNAC/PacWest Crossover challenging the hosting Warriors of Westmont (1-2) at 7:00 p.m. tomorrow night inside Murchison Gymnasium.