Box Score (San Francisco) -
Rheina Ale put on a show in her first collegiate game against her younger sister, but it wasn't enough as the University of San Francisco Dons (1-2) fell at home in War Memorial Gym to Cal Poly (1-1), 82-66.
With younger sister, Cal Poly freshman Kristen Ale, looking on, Dons senior
Rheina Ale set a career high with 27 points and went over 20 points scored in consecutive games for the first time in her career. Ale led the Dons in scoring and rebounding with 12 boards in 40 minutes of action.
The teams traded the lead early on before Cal Poly's interior defense tightened up and USF's guards had trouble penetrating the lane. The Mustangs took control of the game in the latter part of the first half as 2010 Big West Player of the Year Kristina Santiago caught fire and the Dons went cold. Santiago posted a double-double (21 points and 10 rebounds) in the first half and went on to record a game high 37 points and 15 rebounds.
The Dons shot just 23-for-70 (32.9%) for the game, and were 6-for-24 (25%) from behind the arc, though many of those 3-point shots were in desperation at the end of the game.
USF senior
Katy Keating's 3-point basket 1:05 into the game was the 123 in her career, moving her alone into third place all-time for the Dons. Keating finished the game with 8 points and 6 rebounds on 3-of-10 shooting (2-of-4 from behind the arc).
Dons junior guard Mel Khlock was second in scoring for the team with 10 points on 3-of-4 from the floor of 2-of-4 from the free throw line. She was also 2-of-3 from behind the arc. Freshman guards
Taj Winston and
Aundrea Gordon made nice contributions in over 20-minutes each. Winston had a game-high 4 blocks and tied for a game-high 2 steals to go along with her 7 points.
After falling behind by as many as 13 in the second half, head coach
Jennifer Azzi called a key timeout midway through the half and the Dons put a run together to get back into the game. The Hilltoppers got within 7 points of the Mustangs at 71-64 on a pair of free throws from Ale with 3:51 remaining, but that was as close as they would get as the Mustangs were able to extend their lead down the stretch.
The Green and Gold will be back on the floor Friday, November 18 against Northern Colorado at home at War Memorial Gym.
