Trailing by as many as 14 points in the second half, the Cerritos College women's basketball team battled back for a 57-52 win over visiting Los Angeles Southwest College on Friday night. The win (10-14, 5-1) keeps the Falcons in second place in the South Coast Conference South Division with two regular season games remaining. The team will travel to Los Angeles Harbor College for a 7:00 p.m. game next Wednesday.

With 4:23 left in the third quarter, Cerritos trailed, 41-27. Their comeback started when sophomore Damarie Saldivar (Paramount HS) knocked down a three-pointer. It was just her second basket of the game after being held scoreless through the first half. She followed with another basket, while sophomore Miah Nayback (La Serna HS) converted a layup to get the team to within 41-34.

The score stayed the same until the fourth quarter, and when freshman Jayden Estrada (Anaheim HS) hit a three-pointer, the team trailed only 41-40. A pair of Estrada free throws with 6:46 left in the game put the Falcons in front, 45-44. The Cougars were limited to just a pair of free throws for the next 2:21, which allowed Cerritos to lead, 51-46.

LA Southwest's Kayla Buffington hit a three-pointer with 4:12 left to close the gap, and after the teams each traded a pair of baskets, Nayback went the distance and converted a layup to make it a 57-52 lead with 37 seconds left, which is how the game ended.

Cerritos forced the Cougars to commit eight turnovers in the fourth quarter, which aided in the team's comeback.

Saldivar scored all of her 19 points in the second half and also added five rebounds, while Estrada accounted for 16 points, four steals, four rebounds and two assists. Nayback, who converted all seven of her free throws in the first half, finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, seven steals and four assists in the win. Sophomore Melana Goodloe (Warren HS) led the team with 14 rebounds.