WARRIORS DEFEATED ON THE ROAD AT SPRING ARBOR

SPRING ARBOR, Mich. - A third-quarter push by the hosting Spring Arbor Cougars (6-0) proved too much for RCU (1-4) on the road on Wednesday afternoon, with the Warriors falling 80-57. RCU's scoring was led by sophomore forward Jacey Somers and junior forward Melanie Moore, who scored 14 each. Moore led the Warriors in rebounding with eight, while senior guard Imari Martin logged six assists. Three starters scored in double figures for the Cougars, led by Emma Smieska with 26 points on 50% shooting. 

THE RUNDOWN

FIRST HALF

• Neither team allowed the other to find easy offense in the first quarter, but Martin opened up the scoring with a two-pointer a minute into the contest. Both teams found most of their first-quarter scoring at the free-throw line, but the Warriors were finding options on fast breaks and off the offensive glass. Moore and Somers scored on consecutive possessions with hustle plays, with Somers following that up with a jumper shortly after. With four minutes remaining, Martin stole the ball from a Spring Arbor player before nailing a three on the other end of the floor to give RCU a one-point lead by the end of the first quarter
• The Cougars took the lead to open the second quarter with two unanswered scores, but RCU broke the ice with a layup by Tambre Williams off a Samone Andrews assist. Mylah Aalse added a jumper, but the Cougars started slowly growing a lead thanks to a solid quarter by Smieska. The Cougars jumped out to a 28-16 lead off a 9-0 run, ended by a Somers jumper off an assist by Williams. Moore added two more baskets to her total towards the end of the quarter, but there was work for RCU to do heading into halftime, down 31-24. 

SECOND HALF

• The Warriors briefly chipped into the lead with field goals by Somers and Williams, but the Cougars kept making their money at the charity stripe to sustain a solid lead for much of the quarter. Martin found Moore on a pick-and-roll for an easy layup, and Moore continued her consistent day with a layup off an offensive rebound to get the lead below double-digits. However, Spring Arbor responded with more answers on offense than the Warriors could, using a strong push in the final three minutes to put the Warriors down 17 heading into the fourth
• Shahd Bakkar got the Warriors started in the fourth with a two-pointer, but the Cougars didn't allow the Warriors to find a consistent offensive rhythm to chip into the lead. Williams helped facilitate a brief run that included a layup and an offensive rebound that lead to a score for Martin, but timely threes proved to be the Warriors' demise in the final periods. Riley Place checked into the contest and went 3-4 from the three-point line for the Warriors, but it wouldn't be enough as Spring Arbor came away with a big win

UP NEXT

The Warriors continued their road stretch on Nov. 16, challenging the #10 Rio Grande Red Storm at Newt Oliver Arena. 

Hussein Murray - RCU Athletic Communications

Featured Image: Hanna Swanson - RCU Athletics