SAN DIEGO – The Aztec women's basketball team (6-8) lost to CSUN (4-9) 74-69 in overtime Saturday afternoon. In a game that was close throughout, neither team ever led by more than six points before CSUN prevailed in overtime.
SDSU was led by Taylor Kalmer's 22 points, 19 of which came in the second half. Sophia Ramos stuffed the stat sheet with 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Zayn Dornstauder added 13 points.
CSUN's De'Jionae Calloway scored 27 points, including 25 in the second half and 17 points in the fourth quarter and overtime.
The Aztecs shot 53 percent from the field in the first quarter but struggled with turnovers. Their defense held CSUN to 26 percent shooting in the first half, including 3-for-15 to start the game.
Zayn Dornstauder made her first three shots, continuing her hot shooting from the Incarnate Word game where she went 6-for-7.
SDSU held a lead until midway through the second quarter when CSUN went on a 7-0 run. The Aztecs finished the second quarter on a 7-2 run and held a 25-23 lead at the halftime break.
Both teams started to heat up in the third quarter and they combined for 42 points and the Matadors held a four-point lead entering the final quarter.
CSUN scored the first bucket of the fourth quarter to go up six points, their largest lead, but the Aztecs started to whittle away at the deficit and tied the game with 4:31 left. CSUN scored the next four points only to see SDSU go on a 6-0 run to go up by two points with 50 seconds left.
A Calloway bucket with four seconds left tied the game at 63-63 and Taylor Kalmer had a contested look at the buzzer that rimmed out to send the game to overtime.
Téa Adams hit a free throw to start overtime but then Calloway scored again, and CSUN never relinquished the lead. Kalmer hit a jumper to close the game to two points with 18 seconds left only to see CSUN's Deja Williams hit two free throws to put the game out of reach.
STAT OF THE GAME
Neither team ever led by more than six points.
THE NOTE
Zayn Dornstauder is averaging 13.5 points over her last two games.
UP NEXT
The Aztecs resume Mountain West play January 1 when they play at Fresno State.
Aztecs Lose Nailbiter to CSUN 74-69
