Santee, Calif. – The Walla Walla women's basketball team bounced back from their 77-46 loss to Point Loma on Saturday night, finishing off their three-game California road trip with an impressive win at the Hawks of San Diego Christian College. Wolves guard Carolina Montes etched her name in the record books once again, pouring in a career-high and CCC school record 32 points to lead the Wolves to the victory and give the Hawks their first loss on the season. In the process, the Wolves matched their win total from the previous season.
 
"We played great team defense tonight," said head coach Paul Starkebaum. "Isabella [Robles] and Paulina [Quintana] really stepped up. We knew they had strong guards and had to protect the basket. For the most part, we did that really well. Carolina [Montes] would not let us lose, as she provided great leadership on both sides of the floor. Her teammates found her consistently on offense and she stepped up to the challenge."
 
THE BASICS: 
Final:  Walla Walla 67, San Diego Christian College 58
Records:  San Diego Christian (4-1), Walla Walla (2-5)

GAME NOTES:

• With the score tied 3-3, Jaliyah Casem hit a 3-pointer that gave the Wolves their second lead of the game and the lead stuck for the rest of the game, despite a second-half comeback attempt from the hometown Hawks. The Wolves held a slight edge after the first quarter, 17-14.
•  The second quarter was an absolute beauty by the Wolves, as they parlayed quality defense into 23 second-quarter points. The Wolves held the Hawks to four made field-goals while Montes scored 15 of her career-high in the quarter, knocking down 5-for-6 from the free-throw line. The Wolves went into halftime with a 40-26 lead, as they 14-point lead was the largest of the game.
• The Hawks did not go down without a fight, scoring the quarters first six points to cut the Wolves lead to eight and forcing head coach Paul Starkebaum to call a timeout. The Wolves responded, however, pushing the lead back to double-digits before another Hawks run got it down to five points. A third-quarter 3-point buzzer-beater by Paulina Quintana would give the Wolves a 49-41 lead heading into the final quarter.
• Early on in the quarter the Wolves built the lead back up to 14 and maintained a double-digit for most of the quarter, as the Hawks were forced to foul. The Wolves went 5-for-8 from the line to hold onto a 67-58 victory. 

• Carolina Montes scorched the Hawks, dropping in 22 of her career-high 32 points in the first half. A made free-throw at the 6:15 mark in the fourth quarter gave Montes her 750th career point. The 32 points beat the previous CCC school-record and career-high she previously set twice last year. She also set a career-high in free throws made (12) and attempted (14).
• Jaliyah Casem quietly stuffed the stat sheet, recording nine points, eight rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Paulina Quintana, the only other Wolves player to score in double-figures, recorded 10 points (2-4 3-PT) and two steals.
• The Wolves shot much better from the free-throw line in this game, going 15-for-20.
• The three-ball was the difference-maker for the Wolves, as they knocked in eight compared to three for the Hawks.

NEXT GAME: 
 
The Wolves will pick up their season after the holiday break with conference play, as they will begin their CCC season by hosting the No. 14 Corban University Warriors on December 6 at 11 a.m. on Windemuth Court.