Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State University
21-8, 8-7BWC
CSUN
21-9, 11-5BWC
Lauren Spargo Reaches Career Milestone but Beach Falls at CSUN
3/5/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. - The Long Beach State women's basketball team was unable to come back from an early deficit as it dropped a 77-61 decision to CSUN Thursday evening at The Matadome.
Senior Lauren Spargo had nine points to reach a career milestone as she now has 1,007 points in her four years at the Beach. She also pulled down a team-best seven rebounds.
Spargo is the second 49er to join the 1,000-point club this year as classmate Alex Sanchez also accomplished the feat in January. It is the first time since 1991-92 that two players have reached the benchmark in the same season.
Senior Hallie Meneses made four 3-pointers for the second-straight game and extended her double-figure scoring streak to five with a team-high 17 points. Meneses added four steals, three assists and three rebounds. Sanchez chipped in 14 points as she went 4-for-8 from the floor and 5-for-5 from the free throw line.
Long Beach State (21-8, 8-7 Big West) got off to a quick start with a Meneses 3-pointer before CSUN scored nine unanswered. Spargo stopped the bleeding with a jumper, which gave her 1,000 career points and made it a 9-5 game at the 15:48 mark. The Matadors then responded with a 16-4 run to pull ahead, 25-9, with 8:45 remaining. The Beach came back with a couple of baskets from Sanchez and Spargo, but CSUN was able to increase its cushion to 43-25 at the break.
The Matadors (21-9, 11-5 Big West) took their largest lead of the game at 51-29 with three minutes gone by in the second half. LBSU kept fighting and used a 12-2 spurt, capped by a jumper from sophomore Madison Montgomery, to cut the deficit to 61-50 at the 7:39 mark. CSUN then made a couple of big threes to go back on top by 16 (67-51). The 49ers closed the gap to 11 one more time with four minutes left to play, but the home team was able to hold on for the 77-61 win.
Ashlee Guay led the Matadors with 20 points, 13 rebounds and five assists, while Janae Sharpe contributed 18 points, nine boards and eight assists.
Long Beach State will return to the Walter Pyramid to host UC Riverside in its regular-season finale at 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 7. The Beach will honor its seniors following of the game.
