Playing in their season-opening game on Saturday afternoon, the Cerritos College women's basketball team came up short in a 67-49 decision against visiting San Diego Mesa College. The Falcons (0-1) will travel to Saddleback College for a 3:00 p.m. non-conference game on Wednesday.

The teams traded the lead throughout the first half, but the Olympians (1-0) knocked down three-pointers on several occasions to start extending their lead. It was a 27-22 SD Mesa lead with 3:03 remaining in the second quarter, and after a bucket from sophomore Francine Carrillo (Cerritos HS) and a pair of free throws from freshman Salma Garcia (Downey HS), it was 27-26 with 1:22 left on the clock. Once again, the Olympians hit a three-pointer and took a 30-26 advantage into halftime.

A 6-0 run in the third quarter gave the Olympians their largest lead of the day at 40-32 until Garcia hit her own three-pointer with 4:49 left in the third quarter to get to within five points. A 10-4 run by SD Mesa gave them a 50-39 lead with 10 minutes remaining and then outscored the Falcons by seven (17-10) in the fourth quarter to close out the game.

Garcia led the Falcons with 15 points off the bench, while Salinas finished with 11 points. As a team, the Falcons struggled from the field, as they converted just 17-of-62 shots (27.4 FG%) and were out-rebounded, 57-27. The offensive rebounding advantage by the Olympians paid off, as they outscored Cerritos, 13-0. Sophomore Jayden Estrada (Anaheim HS) netted a pair of three-pointers and ended with nine points, to go with five rebounds and three steals.

Photos by Daryl Peterson