SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - Trailing by 11 points heading into the fourth quarter, Lamar University made a daring run in the last 10 minutes to take its first lead of the game with less than three minutes to go. The Cards (2-5) couldn't quite hold on against Cal Poly (2-5) though, dropping 57-56 on a last second layup.

Jadyn Pimentel scored 20 points for the Cards in 33 minutes off the bench, pulling down four rebounds and dishing out two assists. Angel Hastings (11 points) and Amber Vidal (10 points) also scored in double digits, and Kayla Mitchell had six assists and two boards.

The Cards fell behind by six at the start of the game on points in the paint thanks to the size advantage provided by their 6' 3" duo of Sierra Campisano and Alicia Roufosse, but LU quickly made an adjustment. Vidal nailed a three to cut the lead in half, and Big Red climbed within two, 8-6, on three made free throws by the redshirt senior from San Antonio, Texas. The Mustang presence in the paint proved too much in the first quarter though, and after one quarter Cal Poly led Lamar 20-9.

In the second quarter LU and Cal Poly traded runs, and though Big Red outscored the Mustangs 16-12 in the quarter, Lamar couldn't close the gap completely. Heading into the halftime locker room Cal Poly led 34-25 over Lamar. Vidal and Pimentel had 10 points apiece in the opening 20 minutes with all four of LU's three-pointers.

Pimentel opened the second half with a steal and a layup to pull Lamar within five points, but that would be the closest the Cards would come in the quarter, and Cal Poly would stretch its lead to 11 by the end of those 10 minutes.

The largest lead of the game for Cal Poly came with 9:18 to go on a layup, putting the Mustangs up 47-34. Two free throws by Pimentel chipped that down a bit, but another layup again pushed that margin to 13 with 7:24 to go. With the odds stacked and not much time left, Big Red buckled down on both ends. Lamar sprinted through a 12-0 run in just two and a half minutes, and trailed by just one point, 49-48, with 4:49 remaining. A three-pointer by Cal Poly snapped the streak, but Hastings answered that three with one of her own to again pull Big Red within one, 52-51. Hastings struck again at the 2:45 mark to give Lamar its first lead of the game, 53-52, on a fast break layup, but that lead would be short lived. A three-point play on a layup and the free throw pushed Cal Poly ahead by two, 55-53, with 2:21 left, and a turnover looked as if it would seal the deal for the Mustangs. Hastings refused to let Lamar go down easily though, giving Lamar its final lead, 56-55, on a three pointer from Shedricka Pierson.

Unfortunately Lamar missed six free throws down the stretch, and Cal Poly narrowly got a shot off right before time expired, stealing the victory from the Cardinals. Cal Poly won 57-56.

Pimentel was named to the All-Tournament team.

Lamar returns to the court on Monday when the Cardinals host LeTourneau University at the Montagne Center at 7 p.m.

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