CMS Women's Basketball Cruises Past Life Pacific in Home Opener 76-48

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Mary Markaryan (16 points, 10 rebounds) and Ruva Kiara (10 points, 10 rebounds) had their first career double-doubles, and first-year Renee Chong matched her personal best in her young (three-game) career with 17 points as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's basketball team cruised to a 76-48 win over Life Pacific on Thursday night in its home opener at Roberts Pavilion.

With the win, CMS moves to 1-2 on the year after opening up with two losses on its Oregon trip to Willamette and Pacific over the weekend. Life Pacific falls to 2-5 on the season, including a win over SCIAC foe Occidental, and a loss to La Verne. 

Chong had 17 points in her CMS debut against Willamette and matched it with her game-high total on Thursday. Markaryan and Kiara were part of an effort on the glass that had CMS with a 54-39 edge in rebounding, with Ariana Dalia almost reaching double figures as well with nine. 

Life Pacific was within 17-13 late in the first quarter, but CMS scored 10 straight points spanning the first and second quarters to take control. Markaryan started the run with a basket, Sadie Heckman followed with another and Chong made two foul shots to close out the first quarter with CMS up 23-13. Chong and Ava Grey started the second quarter with baskets to push the lead to 14, and Kiara closed out the half with a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give CMS a 40-24 lead at halftime. 

Kayla Ishibashi started the second half with another three-pointer, and Kiara's second three-pointer of the game stretched the lead to 20 for the first time at 48-28, and the Athenas weren't threatened the rest of the way as they went on to a 28-point victory. 

CMS will be back in action for the David Wells Classic next weekend, taking on Augsburg at home on Friday at 6:30 p.m., and then playing Cabrini at Pomona-Pitzer on Saturday.