The McLennan women's basketball squad's trip to the NJCAA Division I National Championship in Casper, Wyoming, ended this afternoon with a 53-46 loss to the Eastern Arizona Gila Monsters in the second round.
The Gila Monsters took control early on. A Sarah Deng 3-pointer from the corner began the scoring just over a minute into the game. A put back by Danai Lewis put McLennan on the board 30 seconds later. Eastern Arizona responded with another Deng 3-pointer that started a 10-0 run, putting the Gila Monsters up 13-2 with 5:46 to play in the first quarter. Jalayah Ingram's 3-pointer from the corner for McLennan stopped the charge. McLennan rallied to cut the lead back to six late in the quarter and trailed 17-11 going into the second period.
McLennan continued to trail by six, 24-18, with 7:35 to play in the second. A Celestine Segretain 3-pointer followed by a floater by Trinity Mayer for the Gila Monsters pushed the lead back to 11, 29-18. McLennan cut the lead to nine a couple times down the stretch. Segretain hit a 3-pointer for Eastern Arizona late in the quarter to give the squad the 36-24 lead at intermission.
The Gila Monsters kept McLennan at arm's length throughout the third quarter. Both teams slow down offensively and Eastern Arizona led 43-31 after three quarters of play.
McLennan stepped up its game in the final period, opening on an 8-0 run including a pair of buckets in the paint from Danai Lewis. The defense held the Gila Monsters scoreless for the first 4:40 of the frame as McLennan cut the lead to four 43-39 before Ashlynn Chlarson went 1-2 from the free throw line following an intentional foul. Another Lewis bucket in the paint pulled McLennan within three, 44-41. Phalan Sigers drained a 3-pointer from the corner and Stephany Goncalves added a runner to push the lead to eight, 49-41, with just under three minutes remaining. Tajenae Gooden went 4-4 from the free throw line following a shooting foul and an intentional foul to pull McLennan within four, 49-45, with 2:20 to go. Taylor Craver added a free throw a minute later to pulls within three, 49-46, before a runner by Deng put the Gila Monsters back up by five, 51-46, and McLennan couldn't recover.
Eastern Arizona: Sarah Deng 4 1-4 12; Millie Pearson 0 2-2 2; Trinity Mayer 2 0-0 5;
Eanae Dagons 2 1-2 5; Phalan Sigers 1 0-0 3; Yazmin Edwards 1 0-0 2; Celestine Segretain 2 0-0 6; Danaeja Love Romero Ah Sam 0 0-0 0; Stephany Goncalves 3 2-4 10; Lucia Auza 0 0-0 0; Ashlynn Chlarson 1 5-6 7; Totals: 16 12-20 53.
McLennan: Hannah Mouton 0 0-0 0; Jalayah Ingram 1 4-10 7; Andrea Johnson 2 0-0 5; Daija Mitchell 0 0-0 0; Kennedi Ard 1 0-0 2; Charnelle Hoof 0 0-0 0; Tajenae Gooden 2 8-12 12; Taylor Craver 1 0-0 3; Tyla Roberts 0 0-0 0; Amerie Flowers 0 2-2 2; Danai Lewis 6 3-4 15; Totals: 13 18-34 46.
First Quarter score: Eastern Arizona 18, MCC 11; Halftime score: Eastern Arizona 36, McLennan 24; Third quarter score: Eastern Arizona 43, McLennan 31; 3-pointers: Eastern Arizona 9 (Deng 3, Goncalves 2, Segretain 2, Mayer 1, Sigers 1), McLennan 2 (Ingram 1, Johnson 1); Total fouls: Eastern Arizona 22, McLennan 16; Record: McLennan 28-4 (14-2).
