BOX SCORE
BELMONT, Calif. — Although the Cal State Monterey Bay women's basketball team trailed for just 33 seconds in the entire game, it had to work hard early to put away a pesky Notre Dame de Namur squad for a 61–44 victory in Game 2 of the Lady Argo Classic at Gleason Gym Friday evening.

“This definitely was not a very pretty game for us and we have a long ways to go in order to be where we want,” said CSUMB Head Coach Renee Jimenez, whose team has now won its season opener in all five of her years at the Otter helm. “We have eight new players in our lineup who are still learning our offensive system and how hard we play on the defensive end of the court.”

While the newcomers work their way into the NCAA flow, the Otters welcomed back a key returner who missed nearly all of last season due to injury. Junior forward Holly Holcomb (Ventura/Buena HS) made the most of her brief 12–minute appearance, scoring 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the floor.

“I'm really excited to have Holly Holcomb back in the lineup and proud of how she came out and really hit the ground running,” said Jimenez. “It's nice for us to have another leader out on the floor who knows what it takes to play for 40 minutes.”

The Otters also got a 10–point, seven–rebound effort from Cal State San Marcos transfer Gabriell Munsch (Lodi HS). Senior forward Brittani Jefferson (Palmdale/Antelope Valley JC) also chipped in seven boards.

The Otter defense was its typically stingy self, forcing 25 turnovers while limiting NDNU to 22 points in each half. Offensively, the Otters had their issues, however, shooting just 35 percent from the floor.

CSUMB wasn't able to gain separation from the Argonauts until midway through the first half, when a Nikki Powell (Eureka/Foothill College) jumper sparked an 13–0 run that gave the Otters their first double–digit lead at 25–11. NDNU cut the lead to nine points twice early in the second half, but a Munsch layup at the 15:24 mark made it 39–28 Otters their lead never left double digits again.

“We have to continue to keep getting better as a team, but this group is going to do some really special things this season,” added Jimenez.

CSUMB will conclude play at the Lady Argo Classic Saturday afternoon against Shepherd University, an NCAA Division II school from West Virginia.