The Pioneer women stretched their winning streak to five on Saturday afternoon, December 20, when they defeated the Cal Lutheran Regals in a non-conference game, 72-62 (boxscore).  

The Pioneer women got off to a strong start in the first twenty minutes of play, securing a solid lead early on in the half.  With both teams running the ball and getting out quickly, the first half resembled a track race. But, the Pioneers were not unfamiliar to the Regals' running style of play, quickly adjusting and forcing the Regals to play to their weaknesses. Led by the offensive play of Kelly Vega (Jr., Beaverton, Ore.) in the paint and the poise of Christina Herring (So., San Dimas, Calif.) and Kim Kittell (Jr., Tillamook, Ore.) from the outside, the Pioneers were able to slow the pace of the game, and run their sets with great efficiency. The Pioneers shot 50% from the floor, entering the locker room at half-time with a 37-24 lead.  

The second half was loaded with fouls on both ends, allowing significant scoring opportunity from the free throw line for both teams. The Regals, who struggled to score in the first half, came out hot in the second half, while the Pioneers failed to match their own first half performance, scoring just five points in the first ten minutes of play.  The Pioneers' first half lead slowly diminished, as the Regals capitalized on offense, scoring 14 points in those first ten minutes.  However, Kittell's relentless defense provided a fresh spark of energy for the Pioneers with 10 minutes remaining in the half.  By the 4:00 mark, the Pioneers had built a 21-point lead.  But the Regals would continue to battle, responding with full court pressure, cutting the Pioneer lead to just 11 points by the 1:00 mark. The Pioneers were able to hold them off, concluding the game with a 10 point lead. 

Kim Kittell led the Pioneer offense with a spectacular performance, scoring 25 points and earning seven steals, six rebounds and five assists. Christina Herring added 12 points to help lead the Pioneers to the victory. 

With the win, the Pioneers improve to 5-3 overall. They will return to play tomorrow afternoon when they take on La Sierra University in Riverside, California. Tip off of that game is 2:00 PM.