William Carey Women’s Basketball Advances to SSAC Championship Game
Montgomery, Ala. – William Carey’s women’s basketball team reached the SSAC championship game for the first time since joining the conference, after beating No. 1 seed Loyola University 69-61 on Friday afternoon.
The Crusaders got off to a quick start, with Jenna Garriga hitting a three just 21 seconds into the game. Meyah Doyle then intercepted a pass and scored on a coast-to-coast drive, giving Carey a 5-0 lead early. Loyola responded with a three from Deniya Thornton, but Carey maintained control, with contributions from Bailey Devall, Leah Sutton, and Anna Rose Engle pushing the lead to 16-8 with two minutes remaining in the first quarter. Loyola closed the quarter strong, cutting the deficit to 16-12.
The second quarter saw increased offense from both teams. Loyola’s Tiarra McPipe made two free throws, but Alyssa Hillard answered with a three for Carey. Loyola then went on a run, tying the game at 21 with three straight baskets from SeQuoia Carroll. Madelyn Ladner and Brooklyn Cuevas helped steady Carey’s offense, and Hillard and Addyson Sherer hit back-to-back three-pointers to send the Lady Crusaders into halftime with a 32-24 lead.
Carey started the second half with an early three-point play from Alissa O’Dell and a three from Chandler Caver to trim the margin to 34-30. However, the Lady Crusaders responded with layups from Ladner and Garriga, and a Garriga three-pointer extended their lead to 41-32. Loyola kept fighting, with Cuevas hitting a deep shot to make it 48-35, but Carey closed the third quarter with a 49-43 lead after Loyola’s late surge.
In the fourth quarter, Sherer’s three-pointer pushed Carey’s lead to nine. Loyola answered with its own long-range shooting, but Engle’s timely three kept Carey in control. The Wolf Pack made a final push, pulling within 55-53 with under six minutes remaining after a Travis three. Carey responded with a 7-0 run, highlighted by Ladner’s layup at 3:39, to restore a nine-point cushion at 62-53. Doyle then hit a deep three with 1:58 remaining, extending Carey’s lead to 65-56. Cuevas sealed the victory by making four free throws in the final minute, including two after a technical foul, to finish with 13 points. Ladner and Garriga each scored 10 points.
With the win, William Carey advances to face UT-Southern in the SSAC Championship game Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Multiplex at Cramton Bowl.
Source: Original Article
