STEPHENVILLE, Texas. – In day two of the TexAnn Tip-Off Classic, Western State Colorado University (0-2, RMAC 0-0) fell to Texas Woman's University (2-0, 0-0) 50-55 in a closely contested game.
In the first quarter, the Mountaineers again jumped out to early lead off a
Jessie Erickson free throw and a transition lay-up from
Chandler Sturms at the 7:59 mark. The Mountaineers would continue build on their momentum, carrying the first quarter 12-9.
Western held the lead until just before the half, when Desiree Phipps sank two free throws with :32 seconds left to give TWU their first lead of the game heading into the half. At the break, the Mountaineers were down only two points despite shooting 25% from the field.
In the third quarter, it would be a different story for the Mountaineers who came out the break aggressively to outscore the Pioneers 17-7 through the quarter. Western regained the lead with 6:19 on the clock as
Chandler Sturms knocked down two free throws to put the Mountaineers up 25-23. With 4:00 minutes remaining in the quarter,
Chandler Sturms tallied a big three-point basket to stretch the Western lead to 32-26. Sturms and
Katie Dalton combined for 9 of 17 Western points in the third as the Mountaineers closed the quarter leading 36-28.
However, the Pioneers would be too much in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Mountaineers 27-14 as TWU's Desiree Phipps and Bri'Anna Gray took over the game. With 6:26 remaining in the game, the Mountaineers regained the lead 42-40 on a
Haley Vinson three-point basket for Western's last lead of the game. With 3:09 remaining Western cut the lead to 47-48 on
Jadyn Kanzler free throw but the Pioneers would control the final three minutes to take game.
Western continued to get it done in the lane scoring 26 points in the paint. For the second time in as many games, freshman
Jessie Erickson led the Mountaineers with 12 points, five rebounds, and a block.
Katie Dalton put up eight for Western while pulling down four rebounds.
Western's bench contributed valuable minutes as
Haley Vinson and
Jadyn Kanzler combined for 29 minutes and sixteen points off the bench. Both Vinson and Kanzler put up eight points on the game matching Dalton in the scoring column.
The Mountaineers return to action next weekend at the Seawolf Hoops Classic hosted by nationally ranked (fourth) Alaska Anchorage University.
