Box Score LOS ANGELES – Cal State L.A.'s women's basketball team had been struggling with slow starts for most of the season, but that all changed Saturday night in a key California Collegiate Athletic Association contest.
 
The Golden Eagles took the lead just three minutes into the game and never looked back in a 62-42 victory over Cal Poly Pomona in the Eagles Nest. Cal State L.A. (14-5, 9-3 CCAA) won its third straight game and remained in a second-place with UC San Diego, just one game back of first-place Chico State.
 
Cal State L.A., which needed to rally from a 16-point halftime deficit on Friday before beating Humboldt State in overtime, grabbed a 27-20 halftime lead on Saturday and led by double-digit margins for all but 30 seconds of the second half.
 
Cal Poly Pomona (10-6, 8-4 CCAA) had a seven-game winning streak snapped and lost for the first time since December.
 
The Golden Eagles did it with sensational defense, limiting Cal Poly Pomona to just 22.6 percent shooting and enjoying an overwhelming 54-33 rebounding edge. It also didn't hurt that one of the conference's premier scorers, Tessondra Williams, poured in a game-high 25 points to go along with nine rebounds and four assists. She played 39 of the 40 minutes in the win.
 
Paige Melville added 15 points and four rebounds, while Richelle Najera had 13 rebounds and three assists.
 
Ashley Boggs and Mian Dingle had 13 points each for Cal Poly Pomona.
 
The Golden Eagles ran an efficient offense and converted on 49 percent of their attempts (25-of-51), including five of 13 attempts from behind the arc. Cal Poly Pomona was just 14-of-62 overall (22.6 percent) and just 2-of-16 from behind the arc. Cal State L.A. committed 24 turnovers to just 13 for Cal Poly Pomona, but the Golden Eagles more than made up for it with their outstanding defense and big edge in rebounds.
 
The Broncos got the first points of the game on a pair of free throws by Rachel Hatch, but a pair of baskets by Melville gave the Golden Eagles the lead for good. Alisha Belt then hit a basket to make it 6-2 and Cal State L.A. was on its way.
 
A 3-pointer by Williams gave the Golden Eagles their first double-digit lead of the game at 23-13, but the Broncos closed the half with a bit of a run to pull to within 27-20 by halftime.
 
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Williams and Melville and a free throw by Melville the Golden Eagles a quick 14-point lead, 34-20, with 17:40 to go and the Golden Eagles led by at least 10 points the rest of the way.
 
A basket by Samantha Hansen pushed the lead to 45-27 with 11:20 to go and the Golden Eagles kept their big margin for the remainder of the game.
 
Cal State L.A. will return to action next Friday with a home game against Cal State San Bernardino.