REDLANDS, Calif. In the first of a two-game road trip to California before New Year's, the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Ariz.) women's basketball team saw a five-point lead after three quarters fade as the University of Redlands (Calif.) came back to pull out a 68-61 win. Sophomore Danae Ruiz (Maricopa, Ariz.) was the only Eagle to reach double figures, finishing with 18 points.

Sophomore Melissa Pfeifer (Hays, Kan.) gave Embry-Riddle (10-2) an early 4-0 lead, but Redlands (5-4) came back and went ahead midway through the opening quarter, taking an 11-6 advantage on a three-pointer from Lindsay Kilgore. The Eagles came back to tie it at 11-all on a trey from Ruiz, but the Bulldogs scored the last four points of the quarter to move to the second with a 16-13 edge.

Two minutes into the second another three by Ruiz tied the game again, this time at 18-18. With the game tied at 20-all ERAU put in six straight, four from sophomore Amber Rollins (Scottsdale, Ariz.), to go up 26-20 with four minutes to play in the quarter. The Bulldogs worked it down to a one-point deficit in the final minute, but the Eagles held on to their lead and took a 33-31 advantage into the locker room.

Threes from Ruiz and sophomore Haley Villegas (Anthem, Ariz.) to start the third quarter led to a six-point bulge at 39-33. Redlands responded with seven straight to go back on top, 40-39, on a long-range shot from Allison Siksnus. Villegas hit on a jumper to put the Eagles back on top and it stayed close over the next four minutes, with the score tied twice in the span. Tied at 45-all, the Eagles closed the quarter on a 6-1 surge over the final 2:48, with a layup by Pfeifer putting ERAU up 51-46 entering the fourth.

Embry-Riddle missed on its first six shots of the fourth, however, and the Redlands took advantage and moved in front, 52-51, on a free throw with 5:46 left. The Eagles then picked up four straight free throws of their own to reclaim the lead, but could not pull away. ERAU still led by a point with 2:43 left, but a layup by Reyna Ta'amu put the Bulldogs in front for good. The Eagles were still within one with 1:17 to go, but the Redlands scored four straight to take control as they went on to claim the close victory.