Women's Basketball is currently 8-4 on the season and riding a five-game winning streak.  Last week the 17th-ranked Cougars went on the road to face both unranked Bakersfield and #27 Chabot.  The Cougars travelled across Highway 46 for a meeting with the Renegades on Thursday.  Cuesta dominated from the start and opened the contest with a 14-0-run in the first quarter.  Both teams scored 14 points in the second quarter, so Cuesta waltzed into the intermission with a solid lead, 28-14. The two foes traded baskets in the third period and scored 15 points each, so the Cougars initial advantage remained intact, 43-29, as they entered the final frame.  Cuesta made sure they closed strong before heading back to the coast with a victory, 59-37.  Bakersfield Native Reese Pasternik (pict) put on a show for her hometown fans with a game-high 19 points, while also snagging a season-high seven steals on defense.  Sophomore Guard Bella Musolff carved up the Renegades with her pinpoint passing and, while her game-high 11 assists also helped her tie the Cuesta record for the second time in the past ten days.   Musolff followed Pasternik onto the scoreboard, with 13 points, as the game's second leading scorer.

Two days later the Cougars headed to the Bay Area to play Chabot.  The Gladiators knew they had to stop Pasternik, but the Cougars still had her fellow Bakersfieldian Kaylee Batten, who added to her double-double collection.  Batten posted game-highs with both 26 points and 13 rebounds for her sixth double-double of the season.  Pasternik spent the game filling up the stat sheet but fell two assists short of the second career Triple-Double in Cuesta Women's Basketball history.  Pasternik already posted the first one in her collegiate debut on November 4, 2023, but ended Saturday's game with only 18 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists.  The Cougars never trailed against Chabot and took a 19-point lead into the final frame, where their hosts outscored them, 16-8, for 58-47 final.  

The Cougars open this week at home and shall play in front of their home faithful for the final time this calendar year, before hitting the road this weekend.  The Cougars host Reedley on Wednesday (4 PM) and play at San Jose City and Skyline on Friday (4 PM) and Saturday (1 PM), respectively.  The Cougars shall not return to Cuesta's Stork Gym until they host #4 Moorpark for a Western State Conference game on January 15 (5 PM).