Balance was the name of the game as the Grinnell College women's basketball team stopped Caltech 76-71 in the Pioneers' opening game of their California road trip Saturday afternoon.

Four Grinnell players scored in double figures, led by the 16-point output by Jessica Shotts '10. Jodi Watkins '09 added 14 points, Hannah Wolf '08 recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds and Mallory Scharf '11 had 11 points.

Shotts also had six rebounds and Watkins five, the same amount recorded by Miki Nakamura '10. Wolf came up with eight assists and three steals. Lindsay King had 18 points for Caltech and Lisa Yee 14 boards.

Grinnell led 40-36 at halftime and went up by as many as nine early in the second half. But Caltech chipped away and eventually tied the game twice, the final time at 68-all with 2:36 left. However, Shotts hit a big trey with 2:00 left and Wolf sank a free throw to put Grinnell ahead 72-68 at the 1:09 mark. Caltech got as close as three a few times after that before the Pioneers held on for the win.

Grinnell, 2-7, concludes the California trip Monday with a game at Whittier College.
Box Score