(Klamath Falls, OR) The No. 19 LC State Women’s Basketball team faced another tough opponent on the road trip to southern Oregon. Oregon Tech, receiving votes in the national poll, defeated the Warriors 80-65.
“Extremely tough road trip and a very hard place to play,” coach Caelyn Orlandi said. “We didn’t execute our game themes tonight and unfortunately when those things don’t get done it’s hard to win games, and especially road games.”
The loss drops the LC State record to 14-4 overall and 8-4 in Cascade Conference play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Ellie Sander stayed hot from the night before with a 3 on the first possession of the contest. OIT answered with two points and Mataya Green made it 5-2 40 seconds into the contest.
After fouls gave Oregon Tech momentum, a three-point play by Green pushed the margin out to 8-4 at 7:32. The Owls continued to pressure LC State and took a 9-8 lead at 6:33. A 3-pointer by Tatum Brager kept the back-and-forth going with the Warriors in front 11-9 four minutes into the first frame.
OIT stretched its advantage out to 23-11 as the frame continued. Camden Barger and Grace Beardin each scored to have the difference at 27-15 after 10 minutes.
Payton Hymas got the offense going for the Warriors in the second quarter and a block by Sander and steal by Green got the defensive running. Kendall Wallace, Sander and Green made it an eight-point run to start the frame to cut the margin to 27-23 by 7:57. The Owls regained their footing to surge in front 34-23, but back-to-back baskets by Hymas and Darian Herring kept LC State in the game.
An and-1 play and a jumper by Barger in the final 40 seconds had the Warriors within single digits, 40-32, at the break.
The Owls grew their lead back to 10 points to start the second half but Green answered 20 seconds later for a 42-34 score. OIT maintained control with a 10-2 run in the first five minutes of the third quarter. The Warriors trailed 63-43 heading into the final 10 minutes.
Herring put up the first basket of the fourth quarter and Hymas added a three of baskets in the first two minutes. Herring, Brager and Wallace scored in the final five minutes as OIT took the contest 80-65.
STAT RECAP
Brager led the Warriors with 14 points and Hymas had 10 points while Green and Sander each scored nine. Green led the defense with eight rebounds and Sander had three steals. LC State had 30 points off the bench. Wallace and Barger each scored seven.
“Mataya Green and Ellie Sander had a great weekend and battled every possession,” Orlandi added. “They showed an attitude of wanting to win and I was proud of their toughness this weekend. We needed to get rebounds and stops defensively and freshman Keira O’Neill came in when we needed a spark in the game. She was physical and strong playing the forward spot for us.”
UP NEXT
The Warriors return to Lewiston next weekend to kick off the second half of Cascade Conference play. LC State hosts Evergreen Sta
