San Rafael, Calif. – Dominican University of California dropped a 72-60 decision to Concordia University of Irvine in the Conlan Center on Friday.
 
The two teams traded buckets early with senior Jordan Charlton, freshman Alaiyah San Juan and graduate student Riley Friauf all getting early baskets for Dominican. Concordia Irvine buried the first triple of the game to distance itself by three, a lead that was soon increased after a Samantha Fries layup.
 
San Juan put Dominican back on the board after shimmying around her defender before laying the ball in. The Eagles had an immediate answer in the form of another 3-pointer, but Dominican soon answered when Friauf converted on consecutive free throws before collecting an offensive rebound over her defender and connecting on a mid-range jumper to bring the Penguins back within five. Friauf's baskets marked the end of the opening frame with Concordia Irvine holding a 19-14 advantage.
 
Kendall Jackson opened the scoring when she connected on the Eagles' third 3-pointer of the game, putting her team back up by eight. Freshman Alex Salise quickly juked her defender on the baseline before taking an inside lane to the hoop and converting on a lay-in that she made open for herself. The Eagles answered with another 3-pointer, preceding a Dominican basket that came when Salise sent the ball the length of the court into the hands of Fraiuf who finished the play with an easy layup.
 
A nifty underhand, no-look pass was sent from San Juan to Friauf who found herself open under the basket thanks to the San Juan creativity, soon laying the ball in to set the score to 32-20 for the Eagles. Senior Camryn Figueroa connected on a pair of free throws to bring Dominican back within 10 following the mid-point media timeout, followed by an Abreanna Lake floater that connected after Concordia Irvine earned a basket. Figueroa then went on a full speed, coast-to-coast sprint down the floor, finishing the fast paced play with a layup that set the score to 34-26. The Eagles earned the final points of the half, owning a 36-26 lead as the teams broke to the locker rooms.
 
Sierra Clark added to the Eagles lead on her team's first possession of the half, with Figueroa answering in the form of two more successful free throws. Salise drew another offensive foul after Figueroa again connected from the line, but a Dominican turnover would eventually turn into a successful Eagles' free throw.
 
Figueroa continued to add to her score line, connecting on an underhanded layup to bring Dominican within 10 before a media timeout with 4:40 remaining. Successful Eagles free throws greeted the teams back to the floor, with Figueroa following as she converted on a free throw of her own. Junior Britney Cedeno drew a quick offensive foul at the half court line on Concordia Irvine's next possession, then gaining an offensive rebound that eventually set the stage for a Friauf layup.
 
Friauf intercepted a pass with 3:15 remaining before San Juan finished the play on the opposite side of the floor, setting the score to 45-36 in favor of the Eagles. Concordia Irvine extended its lead late in the quarter as Dominican fell into a scoring slump, but junior Maiya Flores put Dominican back on the stat sheet with a driving layup to bring the Penguins, once again, within 10, as the Eagles entered the final frame with a 50-40 advantage.
 
A Friauf layup started the scoring with San Juan etching an assist on the play, but Concordia Irvine kept the score distanced with its sixth 3-pointer of the afternoon. Figueroa drew another offensive foul a pair of possessions later, then converting on a layup with 5:50 remaining in the half. Another Eagles' long ball put them back up by 12 before adding two more baskets before the next media timeout, taking a 62-46 advantage into the momentary break.
 
A Charlton steal and score later brought some momentum back into the Penguins' favor before strong defense drew a travel call, transitioning the ball back to Dominican's offense where San Juan drilled a corner two. Kendall Jackson hit a 3-pointer to answer the call for the Eagles, a basket that Friauf answered with a layup, but another Eagles 3-pointer gave them a late 14 point advantage. A pair of late baskets came for Dominican, with the final basket coming after Figueroa intercepted a pass at half court before finding Charlton under the rim who buried her second layup in 10 seconds, but Concordia Irvine soon earned the 72-60 victory.
 
Fraiuf finished with a game high 22 points while snagging nine rebounds and tallying two assists, while both Figueroa and San Juan finished in double digits with 14 and 10 points, respectively. Cedeno finished with a team high three assists while joining Friauf with nine rebounds