Porter, Santos, strong second quarter highlight Cal Maritime’s 2024 opener at Embry-Riddle

PRESCOTT, Ariz. – Alicia Porter notched her fourth double-figure scoring total in a row, and eighth overall this season, by finishing with a team-high 13 points and Aysia Santos added another 11 to collect her seventh double-digit point total in the last eight games when Cal Maritime faced Embry-Riddle in the team's inaugural game of 2024.

The Keelhaulers enjoyed an outstanding second quarter by shooting 50 percent from the floor (6-for-12) and 50 pct. from three (2-for-4) to build momentum entering the locker room at halftime of Thursday's Cal Pac matchup at the ERAU Activity Center in Prescott, Arizona. 

Cal Maritime also forced the host Eagles to turn the ball over 15 times, which led to 11 points, but ERAU's strong start to the evening — it outscored CSUM 25-7 in the first quarter — created a deficit too large for the Keelhaulers to erase in a game it dropped by an 80-43 score.

Following Friday's travel day to Riverside, California, the Keelhaulers will square off against La Sierra at 6 p.m. and enter that contest with an 0-9 overall and 0-5 Cal Pac record.

Embry-Riddle will continue its homestand with respective records of 5-8 and 3-2.

"It is great to return to action," said head coach Imhotet Amen-Ra, regarding Cal Maritime's lengthy hiatus since its last Cal Pac game, which took place at Simpson on December 8.

"Competing at elevation, they pushed the pace of action throughout the first half to take advantage of this element."

Amen-Ra added, "in the second half, we came out and put up a fight; this is one thing I love about this team: they are always willing to work hard, battle on every possession and leave everything on the floor. All we ask is for everyone to compete on every single possession, and that is exactly what they did tonight."  

Between December 8 and its contest at ERAU, Cal Maritime only played two road games due to finals week and the institution's holiday break. 

Cal Maritime ended its night on another positive note by outscoring the Eagles in the fourth quarter.

"We are going to watch film and take what we learn from tonight to prepare us for the next time we face Embry-Riddle, at our place, and for the second half of conference play," said Amen-Ra.