CSM BLITZES VISITING HARTNELL, 76-55, IN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL OPENER

COLLEGE OF SAN MATEO SPORTS NEWS                FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Fred Baer          baerf@smccd.edu

CSM BLITZES VISITING HARTNELL, 76-55, IN WOMEN'S BASKETBALL OPENER

SAN MATEO (March 4, 2016) -- Mariah Elzy had 21 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks to lead College of San Mateo to a foul filled, 76-55, season opening women's basketball victory over visiting Hartnell College Friday night.

CSM (1-0) had little trouble controlling the scoring after a slow start. Holding just a 19-17 lead after one quarter, Gabby Jajeh hit a pair of 3-pointers and then the 6-0 Elzy tallied six points to highlight a 13-digit Bulldogs run for a 32-17 advantage. Jajeh, one of the top 3-point shooters in the state last season, finished with four triples and 14 points. Freshman forward Raven Johnson ((Hayward HS) also scored in double figures with 11 points. Veteran guard Bella Mercado (Hillsdale) had five assists. Newcomer Nandi Eskridge (Oceana) tallied eight points.

The Bulldogs led, 38-22, at the half and extended the margin to as many as 25-points at 65-40 with 6:18 left in the game.

Elzy was a first team All-Coast North Conference selection last season, finishing tenth in the state in scoring with a 19.6 average and No 7 in rebounding at 12.6 – the top combination player in both categories. Jajeh (a Mercy San Francisco grad) ranked 14th in the state in 3-point shooting, averaging 2.8 per game.

A FOUL GAME: The Bulldogs were called for 32 fouls, losing four from their 9-player in-game roster and coming within one foul of finishing the contest with just four players on the court. (Two players finished with four fouls.)

There were 58 total fouls in the game! CSM was without two sophomores, out with injuries, while incoming freshman Malia Koloamatangi is still involved with volleyball.

Allyah Urzua of Hartnell was the game's top scorer with 22 points.

NEXT: CSM (1-0), ranked 15th in Northern California in the coaches association pre-season poll, plays another Coast crossover contest on Thursday at Cabrillo College in Aptos at 7 p.m.