Posted: Nov 25, 2016
The University of Redlands women's basketball team faced off against the Willamette University (OR) Bearcats in the second game of the Bulldogs' three-game road trip to the Pacific Northwest on Friday afternoon. After a sluggish start, the Maroon and Gray battled to make things close but ultimately lost in a 47-59 decision at Cone Field House.
Senior guard Jade Cheldelin (Portland, OR) put the Bulldogs in good position early in the game by knocking down a pair of free-throws and a jumper to make it 4-5 with 8:33 on the first-quarter clock.
Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Willamette erupted for an 11-0 run that forced the visitors to play catch-up from that point on. Cheldelin halted Redlands' scoring drought with a jumper to make it a 10-point game at 6-16 with 2:21 left in the first frame.
The Bulldogs struggled to find their offensive rhythm and trailed throughout the contest. Freshman guard Mariana Ecija (San Diego, CA) hit a three-pointer with four ticks remaining but the visitors trailed by a 16-point margin at the half.
The Maroon and Gray moved within single digits off of an Ecija lay-up with 3:56 left in the game before Redlands answered with an 11-0 run . However, the momentum shift was temporary, as Willamette responded with a 7-0 spurt to seal the victory.
The Bulldogs finished with a 42-37 rebounding advantage, including a 25-16 effort in the second half. Redlands also won the turnover battle with only 14, as compared to Willamette's 17.
Cheldelin led the Bulldogs with 12 points and six rebounds, while junior forward Allison Siksnus (Placentia, CA) chipped in 11 points and a game-high nine boards.
Redlands (1-3) finishes off its Northwest trip with a 1 p.m. game against Lewis & Clark College (OR) on Saturday, November 26.