Second half run gives Chapman home-opening win over Redlands

ORANGE, Calif. – With the exception of trailing by a point in the first minute of the game, the Chapman University women's basketball team led from start to finish, as they defeated the University of Redlands 63-55 on Saturday night in the season-opener at the Hutton Center.

Freshman G Brittany Oster gave Redlands (2-4) a brief 3-2 first-half lead with a three-pointer just minutes in. Chapman then jumped ahead for good on the next possession as senior G Casey Gomez got the first of her nine points on the night.

Chapman (3-3) built its first-half lead to as many as 11 points at 31-20 with 5:50 remaining when junior G Mary Petrie hit a three-pointer. A pair of free throws by Redlands' senior F Allison Clark narrowed the lead to five points with 1:49 remaining but Chapman then closed out the half with four-straight points to take a 35-26 lead. Clark had 11 points and was one of four Redlands' players in double figures. Junior F Courtney Carroll, the Bulldogs' leading scorer on the season had a team-high 15 points.

At the 11 minute mark of the second half, Clark got Redlands to within six points at 42-36 which is as close as they would get the remainder of the night. The Panthers then went on a 12-4 run to take a 54-40 lead and put the game out of reach as senior F Simone Ibbotson had six of her game-high 16 points during the stretch.

by Chris Watts
Sports Information Assistant

Boxscore: http://www.chapmanathletics.com/sports/wbkb/2010-11/files/ur-cu.htm