POCATELLO, Idaho 1 Cal Poly Mustangs women’s basketball team suffered their first loss of the 2026 season, falling 64-51 to the Idaho State Bengals on November 9 at Reed Gym in Pocatello.
The game was closely contested through the first half, with Cal Poly trailing narrowly by two points after the first quarter (13-11) and by three points at halftime (31-28). Idaho State then opened the third quarter with a decisive 10-2 run, gaining control of the contest.
Cal Poly’s best push came late in the third quarter when Ysabella Von Seipler hit a three-pointer and Dessi Ulmer added a layup, narrowing the gap to 39-37 with 4:32 remaining in the period. However, Idaho State responded with an 11-2 run that spanned the third and fourth quarters, including a buzzer-beating three-pointer, to extend their advantage to 50-39.
Sumer Lee led the Mustangs with 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including a three-pointer, and added five rebounds and two assists in 32 minutes. Avery Knapp contributed eight points off the bench by going a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line before fouling out early in the fourth quarter. Ysabella Von Seipler and Gabby Robinson each scored seven points, with Robinson also recording five rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block during 39 minutes.
Cal Poly shot 32 percent overall and 18.8 percent from three-point range but converted 84.2 percent of their free throws. The Mustangs forced 18 turnovers and scored nine points off them, with their bench adding 22 points. Foul trouble was significant; Cal Poly committed 29 fouls, with both Ulmer and Knapp fouling out before the fourth-quarter media break.
Cal Poly will return home to face Seattle on November 11 at 6 p.m. inside the Mott Athletics Center.
CSB Take
Cal Poly’s first loss of the season exposes defensive and foul issues that will require prompt attention to regain their early momentum. While individual performances from Sumer Lee and Avery Knapp stood out, the Mustangs could not contain Idaho State’s key scoring runs. Improvement in shooting efficiency and maintaining defensive discipline will be pivotal as Cal Poly prepares for upcoming non-conference games and the challenging Big West schedule.
Source: Original report
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