Eagles lose last road game

Despite the close game, Chadron State women’s basketball team was unable to hold onto its first quarter lead and was defeated by a point to South Dakota School of Mines for CSC’s last away game of the season, 65-64.

The lead changed 15 times throughout the game, six times in the first quarter and eight times in the fourth.

“I thought against SD Mines we made it an emphasis to play hard and tough on both sides of the floor,” Samiyah Worrell, sophomore of Fountain, Colorado, said. “As far as myself, it felt good to regain some of my confidence.”

She also said that close games show the team that they can compete against anyone in the conference.

Worrell was the first to put points on the board and made the first three shots for the Eagles with a jumper and two three-pointers. She also made a third shot from the arc near the end of the first quarter which put the Eagles ahead, 20-17.

Even with their lead in the first quarter the score was tied by the end of the third, making both teams go into the fourth with some tenacity.

Ashayla Powers, freshman of Longmont, Colorado, took the lead for the Eagles with a layup nearly a minute into the final quarter. She extended the lead with two free throws nearly a minute later.

For three minutes, the point gap stayed at one point but the team that held the lead changed five times.

The Hardrockers cut down the Eagles’ lead with a jumper before taking the lead with another from Ryan Weiss, redshirt senior of Ames, Iowa.

Bailey Brooks, senior of Douglas, Wyoming, answered back with her own jumper to take the lead before SD Mines’ Naomi Hidalgo, sophomore of Greeley, Colorado, placed the Hardrockers ahead again with her own jumper.

Powers reclaimed the lead once more with another layup, but Weiss answered back once again.

South Dakota Mines held the lead until Brittni McCully, senior of Mullen, brought the Eagles up by a point which was also answered back by the Hardrockers.

Powers tied up the score at 64 points, following a good free throw with 15 seconds left of the game.

With its own free throw, South Dakota Mines was able to finish out the game above Chadron State, causing the Eagles to take losses for all of its road games for the season.

Worrell led the Eagles with 20 points, being six of 11 for field goals, three of five for three pointers, and five of eight for free throws.

Powers led with eight rebounds and was avle to put up 15 points on the board.

CSC women’s basketball team finishes out its regular season at home against Metropolitan State University of Denver and Colorado Christian University at 5:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday.