Stanford women’s basketball took the court at Maples Pavilion on Wednesday, looking to close out its preseason schedule on a high note. But against a determined UC Santa Barbara team, the Cardinal fought an uphill battle, ultimately falling 65- 56.

Stanford struggled to find its offensive rhythm early, allowing the Gauchos to build momentum and take control of the first half. The Cardinal entered halftime trailing 33-20, leaving itself with plenty of ground to make up after the break.

But Stanford was not ready to let the game slip away. The Cardinal came out with renewed energy in the third quarter, putting together an 11-0 scoring run that brought the crowd back into the game. Sophomore forward Alexandra Eschmeyer capped off the run with a three-pointer at the buzzer, cutting UC Santa Barbara’s lead to 42-37.

Sophomore guard Hailee Swain kept Stanford competitive throughout the night, leading the team with 23 points. Eschmeyer added 13 points and nine rebounds, while sophomore transfer Charlotte Tuhy contributed 13 rebounds.

Stanford continued to chip away at the deficit in the fourth quarter. A basket from junior guard Shay Ijiwoye brought the Cardinal within four points at 54-50 with two minutes remaining. UC Santa Barbara responded, however, with a five-point stretch that helped put the game out of reach.

The Cardinal’s shooting ultimately proved difficult to overcome. Stanford finished 4-24 from beyond the arc and made just 10 of its 19 free-throw attempts.

While Wednesday’s result was not the ending Stanford wanted for its exhibition schedule, the team’s late third-quarter push offered a glimpse of its ability to respond under pressure. With the regular season approaching, the Cardinal will have to build on those moments and find greater consistency on both ends of the floor. Stanford will now turn to a matchup against Arizona in Las Vegas on Monday to kick off the season.