An early Cal State East Bay attack was too much for the Penguins to handle as Dominican fell by a score of 77-66.

Graduate student Riley Friauf notched another double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds, while freshmen Alaiyah San Juan and Alex Salise both record ten point nights.  

East Bay started the scoring early and often, notching its first basket just five seconds in as the tip-off was passed into the hands of Madison Schiller who streaked down the lane for an easy lay-up. Senior Jordan Charlton tipped a pass on East Bay's next trip down the floor, eventually finding the hands of Friauf who spun towards the basket for her first points of the evening.

The Penguins struggled to find their offensive footing from here as the Pioneers embarked on an 11-0 run to bring the score to 13-2. Friauf stopped the onslaught after drawing a foul while fighting for an offensive rebound, giving Dominican its first points of the game since the opening minute after draining both shots.

San Juan found her scoring touch with a ball from behind the arc to bring the Penguins within seven before Friauf scored four consecutive Penguin tallies. Offensive fouls were exchanged between the foes prior to East Bay finding the board again as it led 20-11 after the first frame.

The Pioneers started the scoring in the second stanza before San Juan converted on a jumper from the crown of the key. Salise then found the basket for the first time with 7:14 remaining in the half, lessening the gap as Dominican trailed by 11. East Bay went on a mini-run to expand its lead to 31-15 before Friauf muscled Dominican back onto the scoresheet with a bucket from in-close.

Senior Camryn Figeuroa rustled the twine with a layup from under the basket with nearly five minutes remaining, but East Bay found a quick answer in the form of another long-ball to bring its lead to 15. Freshman Jazmine Barnes converted on a steal and score to bring the score 36-23, but consistent buckets from downtown courtesy of East Bay's Zhane Duckett kept East Bay at distance.

Dominican found itself with 11 with time winding down in the half after Friauf converted on another jumper at the 8:51 mark. A missed and made free throw put the Pioneers back up by 12, but the free throws cued a dramatic finish to the half as Salise nailed a ball from deep with no time left on the clock, bringing the score to 42-33 as the teams found their respective locker rooms.

Dominican sent Schiller to the line when the teams resumed action on the court as she buried her 14^th and 15^th points before San Juan answered with a 3-pointer. The Pioneers answered with a pair of Buckets that preceded another Friauf mid-range jumper that brought the score to 48-38 in favor of the visitors.
Another Duckett long-ball brought the Pioneer lead to 13 before the Penguins marched back down the floor, ending with a Salise basket from the key that brought the score to 51-40 at the media timeout.

Salise forced a basket over a pair of defenders after the media timeout that brought Dominican within nine, but the bucket was soon answered by a bucket off the board. Friauf sent her defender to the hardwood before sinking a basket that lessened the Pioneer lead to nine soon after, but East Bay answered with a pair of points on its next possession.

A Salise steal set the stage for an Errayana Hatfield layup that brought the score to 55-46 with time dwindling, but East Bay again had an immediate answer as it brought its lead back to 11 heading into the final frame.

Dominican continued to find its footing early in the fourth as San Juan and Hatfield brought Dominican as close as seven, but the pattern of East Bay answers continued with back-to-back layups. Hatfield nailed a 3-pointer to help keep the Penguins grounded and in the game, but East Bay found itself back up by double digits again with 6:15 remaining as the score read 6:15.

Dominican reeled the score back in after Friauf free throws were preceded by consecutive Figueroa layups that saw Dominican within nine, but the Pioneers spread the gap and finished with a 77-66 victory over the Penguins.

Dominican will now enjoy a short rest for the thanksgiving break before heading north to Humboldt for an afternoon matinee with Humboldt State on Saturday.