The University of Redlands women's basketball team opened the New Year with a non-conference showdown against No. 1 Amherst College (MA) on Monday afternoon at Chapman University. The Bulldogs struggled to shake the holiday blues and led only once in the 44-67 decision to the Mammoths.
The Maroon and Gray scored the first bucket of the game when first-year forward Kellis Dack (Vancouver, WA) found senior forward Reyna Ta'amu (Lakewood, CA) in the paint for the lay-up.
After Amherst quickly got up by 10 points, Dack ended the Bulldogs' scoring drought when she stepped back for a jumper with 2:59 to go in the first quarter. First-year guard Alexandria Iannone (Fullerton, CA) provided a dime of a pass for first-year forward Camille Mosley, who pulled up for a jumper that made it a six-point game. Following a pair of free-throws for the Mammoths, senior guard Courtney Chen's (La Canada, CA) bucket from downtown off of senior forward Angela Silver's (Scotts Valley, CA) assist cut Redlands' deficit to five at 11-16.
Although the Bulldogs endured a nine-point showing in the second quarter, they rallied to out-score the Mammoths, 18-17, in the third frame. Senior forward Allison Siksnus (Placentia, CA) paced the Maroon and Gray with five points, while Mosley tossed in four. Redlands also gained points from Dack, Ta'amu, Chen, and sophomore guard Lindsay Kilgore (Mira Loma, CA), who knocked down a three-pointer.
Unfortunately, it was not enough to overcome the deficit, as the Bulldogs faded in the fourth quarter.
Redlands (5-6) looks to get back on track with this week's Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) action, which begins with a home game against Chapman University on Wednesday, January 3. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. in Currier Gym.