25-4 First Quarter: Cal Women Pounce on Charleston Early, Improve to 4-0

Cal Sets the Early Pace

Cal’s defense held Charleston to one make on 12 first-quarter shots and forced seven turnovers. A layup by Taylor Barnes put the Bears ahead 11-0 with 6:15 left in the period.

Anilys Rolon ended the Cougars’ scoring drought with a three-pointer, but Cal answered with a 14-1 run to close the quarter. The Bears led 25-4.

Charleston Cuts the Deficit

The Cougars pulled within eight before Cal closed the half with a 6-3 stretch. The Bears went into the break ahead 36-25.

Twidale Sparks Another Run

Charleston kept pressing in the third quarter and cut Cal’s lead to 49-41. Lulu Twidale ended a stretch of missed three-pointers with a shot from beyond the arc, assisted by Barnes, with 2:07 remaining.

Twidale added another three during an 11-2 closing run that lifted Cal’s lead to 60-43. She finished with 19 points and four steals, shooting two for 13 from three-point range.

Scoring Leaders and Next Game

Junior guard Shannon Dowell led Cal with 20 points and six rebounds, making all nine of her free throws. Barnes and Gisela Maul each scored 10 points. Cal made five of 29 three-point attempts but converted all 19 free throws over the first three quarters. The Bears led by as many as 21 in the fourth and will visit UC Santa Barbara, which is 3-0, on Saturday.