REDDING, Calif. - The women's basketball team was voted in the Cal Pac poll to finish third faced off against the number two voted Embry-Riddle.
Simpson battled Embry-Riddle until the final seconds. However, the Red Hawks found itself on the wrong side of a last-second basket as they fell 57-55 to the Eagles.
Rory Hetrick opened the nights scoring on a layup as Simpson drew first blood.
Simpson opened the first quarter with an 8-2 lead over the Eagles.
Itzel Torres and Hetrick accounted for four points each.
However, the Eagles would go on a 9-0 run to end the first quarter with an 11-8 lead.
Reigning Cal Pac Newcomer of the Year,
Celina Tress, converted on two consecutive baskets, a lay-up, and a mid-range jumper to pull Simpson within one early in the second period.
The Red Hawks found themselves down six points late in the second period, 20-14.
But, a 6-3 Red Hawk's advantage closed the gap heading into the half as they found themselves down 23-20.
Hetrick, once again, started the Red Hawk's scoring in the second half as she hit a jumper to pull Simpson within three.
Nevertheless, the high-powered Eagles opened up a 12-point lead on an 11-0 run.
Simpson would chip away and put together a run of its own as they scored seven unanswered points and outscored the Eagles 11-4 to close out the third period.
Trailing by five points heading into the fourth period, a free-throw by
Gabby Sebit and a lay-up by Hetrick would cut the Eagles lead to four, 42-38.
Things seemed bleak for the Red Hawks as they found themselves down 10 points with less than five minutes to play.
A 12-2 Simpson run started by a lay-up by Tress and capped off by a Hetrick free-throw tied the game at 55 with under a minute left to play.
With under 20 seconds left, Simpson possessed the ball in hopes of picking up the game-winning bucket.
But, the Eagles picked up a key rebound off a missed shot by Hetrick.
The Eagles would convert on a last-second lay-up with 0.5 seconds left on the clock to prevail Simpson's comeback, 57-55.
Hetrick had an impressive conference opener as she led the team with 14 points and eight rebounds on the night.
Tress had a solid first game back from injury as she registered eight points and two rebounds to go along with two assists.
Simpson outscored Embry-Riddle in the paint and points off the bench.
The Red Hawks will continue its homestand on Saturday when they take on La Sierra at 6:30 pm.
