The University of Redlands women's basketball team put forth a valiant effort but eventually lost steam in a 41-53 decision to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges, which currently sits atop the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) standings.
Neither team got on the board for the first couple of minutes, until CMS scored a layup at the 7:23-mark. On the next possession, sophomore forward Camille Mosley (Riverside, CA) was fouled on her layup, which led to the first two points of the game for the Bulldogs.
After trading baskets over the next several possessions, first-year guard Alyssa Downs (South San Francisco, CA) drained a three-pointer to give the Maroon and Gray its first lead of the game at 9-6 with 4:02 left in the frame. Despite another trey from Downs, the Athenas pulled ahead in the final minute to hold a 14-12 lead after one quarter.
Early in the second, Downs sank her third triple of the game to elevate the Bulldogs to a 15-14 advantage. As the action continued, CMS went on a 6-2 spurt to gain a three-point lead, but first-year forward Hannah Jerrier (Canton, MA) stepped back for a jumper to move the Maroon and Gray within one at 19-20 with 4:33 remaining.
Less than a minute later, Downs' fourth three-pointer tied the game at 22-apiece. Nonetheless, the Athenas closed the half on a 4-0 run to earn a 26-22 advantage after 20 competitive minutes.
Mosley came out the half re-energized with the Bulldogs' opening points to cut the lead down to two. She then dished it to junior guard Cassandra Lacey (Victorville, CA) for a layup and tallied two consecutive blocks to help keep Redlands in the game at 28-30 with 6:20 left on the third-quarter clock.
The Maroon and Gray continued to battle, as Lacey pulled up for a jumper about midway through the stanza before Mosley knotted the game back up at 32-all. However, the final four minutes of the third proved to be the difference in the game, as the Athenas ended the quarter on a 12-0 run to take control of a 44-32 lead with 10 minutes remaining.
Nonetheless, Redlands stayed in the fight and eventually cut the deficit to single digits by the 7:39-mark of the fourth when first-year guard Chyanne Pagkalinawan (Torrance, CA) hit a three-pointer to make 37-46. Mosley and sophomore guard Kellis Dack (Vancouver, WA) provided four more points for the Bulldogs down the stretch, but CMS came away with the win in the end.
Overall, Downs drained four three-pointers on her way to 16 points to pace the Bulldogs. She currently ranks seventh in the conference with 15.4 points per game and sits first in the SCIAC with 64 made threes. Mosley played an all-around solid game with 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three blocks. Pagkalinawan also contributed on both ends with four assists and two steals.
Redlands (8-12, 5-6 SCIAC) remains on the road for an important matchup at Pomona-Pitzer Colleges on Wednesday, January 30, at 7 p.m.