CSC women come up short at home

The Eagles’ women’s basketball team narrowly missed a pair of wins this weekend, falling 58-56 to New Mexico Highlands University, Friday, and then losing 68-67 in an exciting game against CSU-Pueblo, Saturday. 

The losses drop the Eagle women to 3-14 overall and 2-9 in the RMAC. 

A disastrous third quarter that saw Highlands outscore the Eagles 14-2 erased the Eagles 36-30 halftime lead, and forced the team to play catch up in the fourth quarter. 

“We stopped moving the ball,” Head Coach Janet Raymer said of the teams play during the third. “We got selfish and thought we could score it alone. We didn’t get any reversals and break down their defense, so we took quick shots that weren’t good shots.” 

CSC would come back to tie the score 56-56, but Highlands would go back ahead shortly after and hold the Eagles scoreless through the waning minutes of the game.  

Jessica Harvey, sophomore of Morrill, led the team with 20 points, including hitting four 3-pointers. Teammate Taryn Foxen, sophomore of Aurora, Colorado, scored nine points. Jessica Lovitt, freshman of Mullen, had eight. 

The next night, the Eagles rebounded from the disappointing loss well and looked poised to win until a 3-pointer from CSU-Pueblo senior Jennah Knafelc, of Highlands Ranch Colorado, put the Thunderwolves up 68-67 with just 11 seconds remaining.

CSC’s Harvey was able to put up two shots in the final five seconds of the game but couldn’t connect on either or draw a foul. 

The Thunderwolves led the majority of the game, but the determined Eagles managed a fourth-quarter comeback to put themselves in a position to win the game. 

“I thought we turned it around,” Raymer said of her team bouncing back from their difficult loss the night before, “the effort was great. We had our heads on our shoulders and I thought we had a much smarter game. I was proud of them for coming out and lighting the fire a little bit.”

Lovitt had a career night, earning her first double-double of the season with 20 points and 11 rebounds. Lovitt hit eight of 11 from the field and scored on all four free throw attempts. 

“She had an excellent game,” Raymer said of Lovitt, “She regrouped after last night and got to work. She was on the boards, she was scoring; her effort is always there but she was very efficient tonight.”

The Eagles, who have now lost four consecutive games, have another pair of home games this weekend. They’ll play University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, Friday, and Colorado School of Mines, Saturday.