Athenas Hang Tough, Edged by Loggers

TACOMA, Wash. - On Saturday night, the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's basketball team wrapped up their season opening trip to Tacoma, Wash. with a 69-65 loss against the No. 17 University of Puget Sound Loggers. Despite a furious fourth-quarter comeback, the Athenas were not able to close the deal and the Loggers held on for the four-point victory.

CMS trailed 49-37 heading into the final quarter, but the Athenas mounted a large comeback thanks in large part to a 5-8 effort from downtown in the quarter. The five three's accounted for 15 of the Athenas' 28 points in the quarter. The Loggers did enough in the quarter to hold on for the victory. Puget Sound went 9-12 from the free throw line in the final 10 minutes to ice the victory.

Kailee Severt (CMC) supplied the offense on Saturday night, leading CMS with 18 points. Maya Love (CMC) collected her second double-double in as many days with a 14-point, 15-rebound performance.

Midway through the opening quarter, the Athenas held a 10-4 lead, but the Loggers clawed their way back over the final five minutes of the quarter to take a 18-15 advantage at the beginning of the second period.

That lead grew to 30-21 at halftime after the Athenas were held to just six points in the second quarter. The Loggers scored just 12 points in the low-scoring quarter.

Three minutes into the second-half, CMS cut the Loggers' lead down to just five points at 32-27 following an and-one lay-up from Maya Love. Over the next five minutes, the Loggers used a 12-2 run to take a 44-29 lead with 2:39 remaining in the quarter.

The Athenas cut that lead down to 12 points heading into the fourth quarter, but their late comeback attempt fell just short.

CMS will travel back to Claremont to play in the Wells Classic this weekend. The Athenas host Case Western Reserve on Friday at 5:30 p.m.