CMS Women's Basketball Fights Off Lewis and Clark for Fifth Straight Win

CLAREMONT, Calif. - Renee Chong had 15 points and six assists off the bench, and Jacey Carter added 13 points, including a couple of key three-pointers late, as the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps women's basketball team held off Lewis & Clark 65-59 to pick up its fifth straight win on Saturday afternoon at Roberts Pavilion.

With the win, CMS improves to 6-3, including five straight wins to head into the holiday break. Lewis & Clark, which was led by a game-high 27 points from Karli Mukai, falls to 1-9 with the loss. 

The Athenas seemed to take control when Mary Markaryan beat the first-half buzzer with an 18-footer to make the score 37-29 at the break, and Ava Grey opened the second half with a three-pointer to make it 40-29. 

However, CMS went into an extended drought that saw the Pioneers take a 42-40 lead with 2:27 left in the third on a Mukai jump shot. Sadie Heckman hit two foul shots to end a nearly eight-minute scoreless drought to tie the score, and Grey hit another three-pointer to give CMS a 47-45 advantage heading into the fourth. 

Carter then stretched the lead to 53-46 with a pair of three-pointers around a Lewis & Clark foul shot to give CMS some separation with a 53-46 lead with 7:48 to go. The Pioneers hit two straight three-pointers to get back within 55-42, but Ariana Dalia made a pair of foul shots, and Chong drove the basket for a lay-up with 1:57 to go to make it 59-52. After Lewis & Clark split two at the line, Chong found Dalia for a three-point play to help seal it. 

CMS had three players in double figures, with Dalia adding 11 points to support Chong and Carter. Grey added nine points on three three-pointers, while Ruva Kiara had a team-high eight rebounds and three blocks. 

The Athenas will be back in action in 12 days when they host Webster on Dec. 29 for a 1 p.m. contest at Roberts Pavilion.