ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – An explosive first quarter paved the way as the SF State women's basketball team defeated Bay Area rival Sonoma State at the Wolves Den 63-46.  Three Gators scored in double figures and was led by senior guard Tatsiana Dashkevich's career-high 20 points.
 
SF State (7-15/5-11 CCAA) shot 45.3 percent from the field and was deadly from beyond the arc, going 7-for-16 from 3-point range for a 43.8 percent shooting percentage, their second highest total of the season.  Dashkevich was red hot, the senior was 5-for-9 from the floor and 4-for-6 from distance.  Down the stretch she was just as solid, finishing a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line, all coming in the fourth quarter.
 
Naila Washington finished with 16 points and nine rebounds in one of her strongest performances of the season.  Felicia Villarruel once again finished in double-figures, making it back-to-back games, tonight she finished with 11 points going 5-for-11 from the field. 
 
Kiara Ginwright was her usual pesky self in the paint, she scored six points, while grabbing six rebounds while recording five blocks.  Laura Lawson had six points and three rebounds in limited action due to foul trouble.
 
Sonoma State (8-17/3-13 CCAA) did not go down quietly, even after being outscored 19-6 in the opening quarter the Seawolves continued to chip away at the Gators lead, several times cutting it to as little as five points.  However, the Gators never relinquished the lead and led for all but the opening minute and a half.
 
The first quarter was easily the most dominate of the season for the Gators.  SF State raced out to an early 11-2 run, hitting the first three attempts from beyond the arc.  Villarruel continued to be a spark for the Gators scoring seven points early. 
 
Defensively, the Gators limited the Seawolves to 4-of-16 shooting in the first quarter, while creating four turnovers that led to 10 easy points for the Gators.  Ginwright opened up the game with two points, two blocks and two rebounds.
 
In the second quarter, the Seawolves flipped the script on the Gators. SF State was 4-for-13 from the field in the second quarter and 0-for-2 from 3-point range.  The Seawolves cut the Gators lead to five points after going on a 10-0 in the final minutes of the half.  During that stretch Sonoma State was 4-for-4 from the field and hit their first three point field goal of the game.
 
The Gators meanwhile were 0-for-3 from the field and couldn't find their touch from distance.  Ginwright ended the Seawolves run with a jumper in the paint with six seconds left in the half to give SF State at 27-20 advantage going into the intermission.  SF State still managed to shoot 44 percent from the field in that opening half, thanks in part to the red-hot start from the first quarter.
 
After the intermission, the Seawolves and Gators traded buckets to open the period, both of those buckets for the Gators were 3-point field goals by Dashkevich who was lights out from beyond the arc, going a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor and 3-for-3 from 3-point range to that point. The Gators lead was back to 11, 33-24 with 4:51 left in the third.
 
In the final period the Gators put the game on ice when Dashkevich drained a three from the corner with 3:43 left in the game, the Gators closed out the game at the free throw line, where the Gators were a perfect 8-for-8, Dashkevich accounted for six of the Gators free throws.

The Gators will return home on Thursday to take on Cal State San Marcos in their first ever confrontation as conference opponents.  Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m. from The Swamp. 

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Gator Athletics has a proud tradition of competitive success within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The department offers 12 intercollegiate sports programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Women's Track & Field, Women's Volleyball and Men's Wrestling.

Gator Athletics places great emphasis on academic performance as well as athletic achievement. The program offers student athletes the opportunity to reach their educational goals, as well pursue meaningful athletic accomplishments.  For more information, visit SF State Athletics' website, Twitter and Facebook pages.