Austyn Masuno
Austyn Masuno scored in double figures with 10 points (photo by Daniel Addison)

CMS Women's Basketball Tightens up Defensively for 52-35 Road Win over Caltech

PASADENA, Calif. - One game after winning a wild 88-86 shootout with Cal Lutheran, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's basketball team returned to its defensive identity as it captured a 52-35 road win over Caltech on Saturday at the Braun Athletic Center.

With the win, CMS improves to 9-4 overall and 2-2 in the SCIAC, while Caltech slips to 2-12 overall and 0-5 in the SCIAC with the loss.

Junior Kate Parrish had 12 points to lead the way for CMS offensively, while first-year forward Austyn Masuno scored in double figures for the first time in college with 10 points off the bench. The Athenas held Caltech to just 13-57 shooting (13-57) and did not allow the Beavers to score in double figures in any of the first three quarters, before allowing 13 in the fourth. CMS also dominated in the rebounding department, holding a 61-31 advantage in that department on the day. 

CMS led 16-9 at the end of the first quarter and then shut out the Beavers for over six minutes in the second quarter, using an 11-0 run to pull ahead 27-9 on a basket from first-year forward Austyn Masuno. The Beavers used a buzzer-beating three-pointer from Helen Siavelis to reach six points for the quarter and cap a 6-0 run to pull within 27-15 at the break.

After the Beavers started the second half with a foul shot to make it a 7-0 run, junior guard Katelynn Nguyen buried a three-pointer to start a CMS 9-2 run to restore an 18-point lead. A layup from senior Lindsey Cleary made it 32-16, and after Caltech answered with a basket, sophomore Jocelyn Song and Cleary each knocked down jumpers to make the score 36-18 with 5:13 left in the third. 

The Athenas held a 37-22 lead after three quarters, and Parrish started the fourth off with a layup off a feed from junior guard Kelly Keene to push the lead to 17. Keene then knocked down a three-pointer to give CMS its largest lead of the night at 20 points (42-22). Caltch came back with the next five points, but first-year Jacey Carter knocked down a three-pointer to stop any momentum, and a three-point play from Masuno helped seal it. 

CMS will be back in action on Monday when it entertains Chapman for a 7 p.m. contest at Roberts Pavilion.