Embry-Riddle won the California Pacific Conference Tournament Championship for the first time in school history on Tuesday evening as they beat the Pioneers of Antelope Valley 81-58 hosted by UC Merced. 

UAV started the game with five straight points, but the Eagles answered with a Mehgan Strickler (Glendale, Ariz.).  layup, an offensive rebound and layup by Susie Reynoso (Escondido, Calif.), a layup by Aryana Gonzales (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) and a layup by Zakiirah King (Chandler, Ariz.) to take an 8-5 advantage.  ERAU went on an 11-2 run and led 13-7 with 4:26 left in the first quarter.  Out of the first quarter media timeout, neither team scored until Gonzales sunk a three to make the score 16-7 for Embry-Riddle.  After an Antelope Valley layup, Reynoso sunk two free throws and then a three point basket to put the Eagles up 21-9 and force a timeout for the Pioneers.  At the end of the first quarter, ERAU led 21-12. 

King stopped the UAV momentum with two back to back layups to start the second quarter.  After the Pioneers got back within nine points, Strickler sunk a three on the other end and with 6:21 left in the second quarter, the Eagles led 30-18.  At the second quarter media timeout, Antelope Valley had cut into the Embry-Riddle lead and the score was 33-25 Eagles.  Neither team scored out of the timeout except two free throws for each team until there was just 1:32 left in the half as Reynoso made a layup for ERAU.  At the half, Embry-Riddle led 37-27.

At the halftime break, Reynoso led ERAU with 12 points, Strickler had 10 points and 7 rebounds, and King had 8 points.    

King scored first to start the third quarter with a three, but Antelope Valley scored the next four points to get back within nine points.  Just when the Eagles needed an answer, Strickler made a layup for ERAU to make the score 42-31 with 7:31 left in the quarter.  The third quarter featured quite a bit of free throws for each team as there was a number of fouls called.  UAV once again cut into the Embry-Riddle lead but Strickler was there to answer again with a three point basket and extend the Eagle lead back to 12 points.  A layup by Strickler gave ERAU their largest lead of the game at 51-37 with 3:39 left in the third quarter, but the Pioneers scored the next six points in just over a minute of game time.  At the end of the third quarter, Embry-Riddle led 53-45. 

King and Gonzales each made a layup to start the final ten minutes as ERAU quickly led by 12 again.  UAV cut into the lead with a steal and a layup with 8:23 to go in the game.  Reynoso sunk two free throws followed by one from Liz Behan (St. Peters, Mo.) to make the score 60-47.  With seven minutes to go in the game, a triple by Antelope Valley got the Pioneers back within ten points.  Two more free throws from King extended the Embry-Riddle lead to their largest of the game at 16 and forced a timeout by UAV.  Down the stretch, every time the Pioneers would get close, someone on Embry-Riddle had an answer as the Eagles played well as a team on their way to their Cal Pac Tournament Championship.

Embry-Riddle got big time performances from Strickler who finished with 22 points and 15 rebounds, King had 18 points and 14 rebounds, Gonzales finished with 19 points, and Reynoso with 16 points and 8 rebounds. 

Embry-Riddle will await to see who they will play in the NAIA National Tournament during the selection show on Thursday.