The Park University Gilbert women's basketball team stayed on the winning track, defeating Cal Maritime 81-75 at the PEAC Main Gym in Vallejo, Calif. The Buccaneers jump back over .500 on the season moving to 5-4. Cal Maritime drops to 2-6.

The Bucs now lead the overall series 5-0, but this is the closest score ever in the matchup. Coming into the game the Bucs had a winning margin average of 28 points and after the first half, it looked as though they would be well on their way to another blowout victory, but the Keelhaulers had other ideas.

The first quarter was close as the CSUM jumped out to a 4-0 lead before the Bucs answered with a 5-0 run of their own to take the lead. The Keelhaulers took the lead for the final time with three-point basket, but a 6-0 run gave the Bucs the lead for good and they ended the frame with a 17-14 advantage.

The Bucs blew the game open to start the second quarter with a 15-0 run, sparked by two three-point baskets from Savannah Huerta and one by Arianna Reyes. After a layup by CSUM, the Bucs kept the foot on the pedal and tacked on another 11-straight points capped off by a three-pointer by freshman Hannah Mask. The Keelhaulers finished the stanza on a 5-2 run, but the damage had been done and the Bucs went to the locker with a 24-point lead after winning the quarter 28-7.

Huerta led the Bucs in scoring with 10 points at the break, followed by Yuli Garcia who had seven. The Bucs held a massive advantage on the glass in the first half, outrebounding the Keelhaulers 31-14.

The second half was a different story as Cal Maritime did not go gently into that sweet night. The Keelhaulers dominated the third quarter winning the frame 25-14 to cut the Buccaneer lead to 13 heading into the final frame.

They continued to cut into the deficit starting the quarter on a 10-2 run to cut the lead to five. Park Gilbert desperately tried to hold on to its lead matching Cal Maritime down the stretch as Larken Hoar made two key jump shots, Kayla Schroeder, Arianna Reyes and Huerta each made two key free throws and Alynna Palacios made reeled in some needed offensive rebounds off of missed shots.

As a team, the Buccaneers shot 40 percent from the floor, but uncharacteristically, struggled from three-point range only making six trifectas. The Bucs came into the game leading the nation averaging 14 per game. For only the second time this season, the Bucs failed to reach double digits in threes and for only the second time this season did their opponent make more threes. The Bucs only shot 23 percent from beyond the arc for the game.

The Bucs continued to hold a massive lead in rebounding finishing with a 53-30 advantage, including a 21-8 lead on the offensive glass.

Individually, Huerta led the team with 18 points, Schroeder posted 14 points, six rebounds and 6 assists. Alynna Palacios posted her second double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Hoar finished with 13 points on 6-10 shooting with five rebounds.

Next up for the Bucs is another game against a former and future conference opponent as they travel to Riverside, Calif., to take on La Sierra on Tuesday, Dec. 17. The Eagles currently sit at 1-4.