SAN RAFAEL—Taking some lumps and learning some lessons in exhibition play has apparently paid off for the Chico State women's basketball team. After falling to three straight Division I opponents, the Wildcats officially opened the 2018–19 season in positive style Friday, withstanding a 34-point performance by All-America guard Natalie Diaz and Dominican University's fierce fourth quarter run to beat the Penguins 80-74 in CCAA/PacWest Challenge action at the Conlan Center in San Rafael.
 
Friday's Wildcats win avenged back-to-back season-opening losses to Dominican. Chico State did quite a bit of damage from downtown, connecting on a dozen 3-pointers, and shooting nearly 47 percent from behind the arc. The Wildcats also controlled the boards, outrebounding the Penguins 53-34.
 
Four Chico State players scored in double figures. McKena Barker dropped in 13 points while grabbing six rebounds, and Vanessa Holland buried three treys to tally 13 points on the afternoon. Shay Stark contributed 11 points, six rebounds, and seven assists, while Mikaila Wegenke—making her Chico State debut—came off the bench to score 11 points and haul in a team-high nine rebounds.
 
Stark got the Wildcats off to a blazing start, netting a layup and a 3-pointer to give Chico State an early 5-0 lead. Dominican roared out in front with a 15-2 run, but 3-pointers by Barker and Brynn Thoming kept the 'Cats close. Chico State finished the quarter on an 8-2 run—highlighted by back-to-back buckets from Hannah Washington and layups by Barker and Wegenke—to knot up the contest at 21-all.
 
A 3-point play by Barker put the Wildcats on top 24-21 early in the second period, but five straight Dominican points gave the Penguins a 26-24 advantage. The lead would be short-lived, as Chico State went on a 9-0 run—Holland connected on a 3-pointer, Barker knocked down a jumper, and Wegenke drained four free throws—to vault the 'Cats in front 33-26. Chico State put the clamps down defensively, holding Dominican to just six points for the remainder of the period, and a 10-2 run—fueled by treys by Holland and Myli Martinez—gave the Wildcats a 45-32 lead at intermission.
 
Thanks primarily to 3-pointers by Holland, Thoming, Haley Ison and Madison Wong, Chico State maintained its double-digit lead throughout the third quarter—Thoming's trey pushing the 'Cats' advantage to 59-44. The Penguins scored eight of the final 11 points in the period, and Chico State had to be content with a 62-52 lead heading into the final 10-minute stanza.
 
The Wildcats built a seemingly comfortable 14-point cushion with 5:47 to go. But with the score 72-58, Dominican rose up defensively, holding Chico State scoreless for nearly three minutes. Valenzuela finally broke the drought with a layup, only to see the Penguins produce a 12-2 run and pull to within 74-70 with 2:28 remaining. Thoming gave the 'Cats some much-needed breathing room with a huge 3-pointer, and big free throws down the stretch by Stark and Natalie Valenzuela helped sealed the deal, giving Chico State the season-opening 80-74 victory.
 
The Wildcats wrap up the CCAA/PacWest Challenge Saturday afternoon against Notre Dame de Namur. Tipoff is scheduled for 12 noon.