Box Score SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — It wasn't the game-winning play that Head Coach Brianna Chambers drew up, but it was picture perfect in the end.

Senior Stephanie Carnes netted the go-ahead three-pointer with 19.9 seconds to play, then added a game-ending three-point play on Saturday night as the Dominican University of California women's basketball team rallied for a 70-66 victory over Notre Dame de Namur. The play was designed for guard Danielle Yamauchi to drive to the basket but she found Carnes uncovered in the right corner.

“That's basketball,” Chambers said. “She is more than capable of taking that shot. The ball got to her and she didn't hesitate.”

The 5-foot-1 Carnes was prepared to shoot. Chambers had warned her in the huddle to be ready.

“Being in a close game, it was very nerve-racking but I knew I had to keep my composure,” said Carnes, who tallied 12 points of the bench. “It was a great pass by Danielle and I just had to have faith. It ended up being the right shot at the right time.”

Jasmine Cox contributed a Dominican career-high 20 points, eight rebounds, and three steals for the Lady Penguins (2-4/1-1) in their Pacific West Conference home opener while teammate Yvonne Sanchez had Dominican career highs in points (12) and assists (five).

Despite being saddled with foul trouble, Sarah Nelson, who this week is tied for first in the nation in NCAA Division II in blocked shots, recorded four blocked shots against the Argonauts (1-5/0-2). She also a game-high 10 rebounds.

Yet Carnes, 15 inches shorter than Nelson, was mobbed by her teammates on the floor at game's end as the Lady Penguins prevailed by scoring the final six points.

“It's good to know down the stretch we've got experience to do that,” Chambers said. “It takes a certain amount of mental toughness.”

In the first half, the Lady Penguins came out in a full-court press and Chambers fueled it with reserves. The Dominican coach substituted liberally, utilizing 12 players in the first 8:20 of the game. The Lady Penguins subs responded by scoring 13 Dominican consecutive points, beginning with a 3-pointer by freshman Jenny Marshall and ending with a 3-point play by Lauren Hyatt off an Yvonne Sanchez assist.  When Sanchez netted a 3-pointer, Dominican built a 13-point lead, 24-11, with nine minutes left in the half.

The Argonauts, however, retaliated, by scoring 11 straight points and hitting four consecutive 3-points to eventually pull within a point. But another Sanchez bucket 42.9 seconds prior to intermission allowed the Penguins to take a 33-29 advantage to the locker room.

Dominican extended its lead to eight, 44-36, with 15 minutes to play before Notre Dame de Namur came back and took its first lead of the game. The Argonauts led by four points, 58-54, with 6:12 to play and had a 66-64 advantage with 1:13 to go before Carnes' heroics.

The Lady Penguins will return to Conlan Center on Tuesday, Dec. 11 to host a non-conference game with San Francisco State. Game time is 6:00 p.m. Live coverage will be available at www.dominicanathletics.com.