RIVERSIDE, Calif. – California Baptist defeated Utah Valley 82-51 on Monday night inside the Fowler Events Center. CBU (7-7, 1-0 WAC) won its sixth straight WAC opener, led by Lauren Olsen's 20 points. Utah Valley (7-5, 0-1 WAC) was unable to overcome a hot-shooting Lancer squad that knocked down 15 3-pointers in the contest.
 
Tessa Chaney finished with 12 points for the Wolverines, marking her 10th game this season scoring in double figures. Fellow center Gracie Sorenson tied her season high with eight points, including a key stretch in the second quarter in which she scored five of her eight. Halle Nelson tied a season high with 12 rebounds for the second time this season and finished three shy of her career high of 15.
 
Chaney scored the first six points of the game for the Wolverines, opening with a pair of layups before giving UVU a 6-5 lead in the first quarter with a midrange jumper from the corner. California Baptist went on a 9-0 run to build a 17-8 lead after the opening quarter.
 
Naia Tanuvasa opened the second quarter with a layup and followed by poking away the ball on the ensuing inbound before converting another layup to cut the deficit to seven just over a minute into the period. After a California Baptist run, Sorenson provided a spark, hitting a jumper before getting to the free-throw line and converting 3 of 4 attempts.
 
Utah Valley trailed midway through the third quarter but began to chip away by getting to the free-throw line. Sorenson, Kaylee Headrick, and Kylee Mabry all converted from the stripe before Amanda Barcello's 3-pointer cut the deficit to 14 at 50-36 with 1:15 remaining in the quarter. Sorenson added her eighth point of the game on a jumper late in the quarter. 

Tanuvasa continued to provide a spark off the bench, opening the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer to trim the Lancer lead to 11 at 52-41. UVU continued to look inside and got to basket, but Filipa Barros quickly answered, connecting on four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to push CBU ahead and secure the win.
 
UP NEXT
Utah Valley women's basketball returns to the UCCU Center later this week for two WAC matchups, beginning on New Year's Day. Tarleton State and Abilene Christian visit on Saturday, Jan. 3, with tipoff for both games set for 2 p.m. MT.