CYPRESS, CA – The Cypress College women's basketball team (16-7, 8-1 OEC) held on to defeat the Orange Coast College Pirates (3-17, 2-7 OEC) at home in Gym II on Wednesday night, 68-62. The Lady Chargers entered the matchup ranked No. 12 in Southern California.

Sophomore guard Gabrielle Carbajal led the way for Cypress with 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Sophomore guard Vivian Lara added 15 points on 50% shooting, while freshman Tawni Atencio chipped in with 13 points on 4-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc.

Sydney Driggs led the Pirates with 26 points. Aubriona Mathis added 22 points and 18 rebounds, including 11 offensive rebounds, to finish with a double-double.

The Chargers got off to a slow start, turning it over 6 times in the opening quarter, while shooting just 25% from the floor. Cypress got it going early in the second quarter, where they erupted for 28 points to take a 14-point lead at halftime. Atencio powered the Lady Charger run, scoring all 13 of her points in the period, drilling 4-of-4 shots from three-point range.

Both teams traded points in the third quarter as the Chargers took a 58-45 lead into the fourth. The Pirates went on a 13-0 run to tie the game at 58 each with under two minutes remaining. However, the Chargers would answer with a 7-0 run of their own to regain control. Lara scored 7 of the Chargers' final 10 points to seal the victory for Cypress down the stretch.

Women's basketball will return to action on the road against Riverside City College on Friday at 5:00 p.m.

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