Image Credits: Tom Silknitter
West Chester Women’s Basketball team fought tooth and nail in a PSAC matchup against Bloomsburg on Wednesday night, Feb. 11, but ultimately fell short 58-52. The Golden Rams are now on a four game losing streak with a bye week ahead and four games left in the regular season.
This was a crucial game to help decide placement for playoffs. Bloomsburg (12-11, 8-8) and West Chester (10-13, 6-11) both entered the game losing their last. Earlier this season when these teams met, West Chester fell short by only five points. The Golden Rams knew going in that it would be a tight game, and were prepared to put their best foot forward.
The Golden Rams began the first quarter flat until sophomore Bella Mazur put up a shot and scored two. That was only the beginning of her scoring, as she finished the game with nine points, all scored in the first half.
“After I hit a jumper as the shot clock was ending, and then I hit a three a couple plays later, my confidence was really high,” Mazur said.
Coach Kiera Wooden was satisfied with Mazur’s first quarter performance, crediting her with looking “poised and composed.” That was just what the Golden Rams needed to get going, ending the first quarter 14 to nine.
Mazur wasn’t the only one lighting up the scoreboard, as freshman Kimi Sayson finished the game with 12 points.
Scoring in the game overall was a shootout. West Chester ended the first quarter ahead and by the end of the second quarter, the score was 28-27, Bloomsburg. In the third, West Chester struggled with offensive rebounds, ending the quarter down 40-43. In the fourth, they struggled making foul shots and got in foul trouble. They sent Bloomsburg to the line three times in the last 2:10. Bloomsburg made all five shots they were given. West Chester on the other hand, missed their free throw shots. Wooden admitted these different struggles every quarter was like putting out fires.
“We’re not being fundamentally sound. When we’re not good in those areas, we lose close games,” she said.
While West Chester showed flashes of strong offense and challenged Bloomsburg on defense, it wasn’t enough. The Golden Rams shot 33% overall and 30.8% from beyond the arc.
Over half of the team consists of underclassmen, and with that comes inexperience and inconsistency. Wooden admitted that in a game like this, there isn’t a specific player to rely on. Freshman Lena Stein, though, has been productive on both ends of the court, averaging 9.7 points a game and six rebounds.
“If I had to pick one player to be on the floor at the end of the game, it would be her,” Wooden said.
West Chester now sits at the seventh seed in the PSAC East standings. It’ll be an uphill battle to make the playoffs, but Wooden isn’t giving up hope.
“Our record is not showing how good we have the potential to be, so I need them to stay positive. I need them to keep their confidence. The season is not over,” Wooden said.
West Chester takes on sixth seed Shepherd away next Wednesday for another PSAC matchup. They take on PSAC East teams Lock Haven, Millersville and East Stroudsburg to finish off the season. All are crucial to win.
“I’m here for the fight and I need them to be here for the fight as well,” Wooden said.
Alyssa Gallagher is a third-year Communication major and Media and Culture minor. AG1046901@wcupa.edu