Monster first half earns win over La Verne

CLAREMONT, Calif. – The Athenas went off for 47 points in the first half to ultimately beat La Verne 69-46 in the Wednesday night SCIAC competition. CMS (11-7, 7-2) remains in second place in the conference standings with seven games left on the schedule.

CMS got on a roll right from the tip and doubled La Verne's points in the first quarter. The Athenas were successful in the paint with 14 of 22 points during the first 10 minutes. By halftime, 26 of 47 points were scored by crashing the glass.

In each of the first two quarters, CMS scored over 20 points for a halftime score of 47-19. In the half, four Athenas were perfect from the field as the team shot 62.9 percent. Senior captains Jai Dungca (CMC) and Aly Young (CMC) were each 4-for-4. Young added two more points from free throws to lead the team with 10 points going into the break.

Right at the end of the first period, freshman Lindsey Cleary (CMC) entered the game just in time for senior Kris Brackmann (CMC) to nab her second steal of the game. Dungca drove to the hoop and dished the ball to Cleary for a quick and clean layup to close out the first quarter. Then, freshman Gloria Bates (CMC) came off the bench in the second quarter and instantly went to work. She grabbed two offensive boards and dumped in two baskets of her own while assisting Young under the hoop to give CMS the 37-15 lead.

CMS had as much as a 34-point lead early in the fourth quarter as they dominated on the boards. Ultimately, the Athenas came down with 28 more rebounds than the Leopards. Leading the charge was senior center Claire Donnelly (CMC) at six, followed by Bates and sophomore Ellery Koelker-Wolfe (CMC), each responsible for five.

While CMS' scoring tapered in the second half, junior Corinne Bogle (CMC) stepped up and was good for seven points in the half. At nine points in the game, Bogle was tied with Severt for the second-highest point total, just behind Young with 12.

CMS utilized all healthy players in tonight's victory as scoring came from 11 different Athenas.

On the Leos' side, Bailey Kurahashi sunk four baskets including tow towering threes. She ended up with 14 points on the night after converting on four of six free throw attempts down the stretch.

CMS heads across the street this weekend for the second meeting of the season with Pomona-Pitzer. In the first installment of the Sixth Street Rivalry, the Athenas won 75-32.

Box Score

By Emily Nordhoff
Sports Information Director

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