Rochester Christian Too Much for Women's Basketball

(Lansing, MI)-- The Cleary Cougar women's basketball team returned to action on Saturday, as they took on the visiting Rochester Christian Warriors at Gannon Gymnasium.

Grace Capling would open the game with a made three point shot to give the Cougars an early lead.  The Warriors would answer with back to back three pointers and a layup to open up an 8-3 lead.  After RCU made a free throw, Grace Capling connected on another jumper.  The two teams would trade baskets, but with just over a minute to play in the first quarter, the Warriors would extend their leda to double-digits, and the quarter would end with the Cougars in a 19-9 deficit.

RCU would extend their lead to fourteen in the second quarter, to make the deficit the largest of the first half.  Samantha Hoelscher would make an and-one layup and the free throw, followed by a Melanin Holman layup to get the Cougars back within ten points.  The Warriors would build another fourteen point lead, but a Makenna Jarratt three and a Jess Andrew layup in the final minute would help the Cougars go into the locker room trailing by ten points.

After the two teams traded baskets to start the second half, and with the score 43-33, the Warriors would go on the game's biggest run, taking a 50-35 lead into the final ten minutes of play.  The fourth quarter would see the Cougars go cold from the floor, as the Warriors stayed hot, extending their own lead, and ultimately handing Cleary a 70-37 loss.

Melanin Holman and Makenna Jarratt each had 8 points to lead the Cougar offense.  Holman had 8 rebounds and 6 steals, while Jarratt had 6 rebounds.  

The loss drops Cleary's record to 7-7 overall, 5-3 in the WHAC.  The Cougars will next be on the road on Wednesday, January 7, when they travel to Lima, Ohio to take on the Northwestern Ohio Racers.  The game is scheduled to begin at 5:30 PM.