The Benedictine Mesa Women's Basketball team secured a victory against the Simpson Red Hawks on Thursday evening, winning 67-56.
 
Maria Moore swiftly got BenU on the board with a jumper, taking an early 2-0 lead. The teams engaged in a back-and-forth battle for the lead, with Benedictine maintaining the edge. In the last 13 seconds of the first quarter, Simpson briefly stole the lead, but Mya Johnson's 3-pointer reclaimed it, ending the quarter in BenU's favor.
 
The second quarter saw both teams trading the lead until the Redhawks pulled further ahead in the last 3 minutes. Moore and Ruiz only extended the lead, closing out the half with BenU ahead by 11, 36-25.
 
In the third quarter, the teams were closely matched statistically, but BenU gained an advantage by shooting 83% from the free-throw line, compared to Simpson's 66%. This helped the Redhawks maintain their lead, finishing the quarter 49-41.
 
The Redhawks women continued their strong performance in the fourth quarter, showcasing their defensive skills by out-rebounding Simpson by 6. This provided more opportunities for shots, which they took advantage of especially Maria Moore who drained 2 3-pointers. BenU secured a final victory of 67-56.
 
Standout Players:

• Alize Ruiz achieved her 10th double-double of the season with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Ruiz also recorded a season-high of 3 steals and 1 block, making all 11 of her free throws to significantly contribute to the team's win.
• Maria Moore scored a season-high of 18 points and achieved her season-high in assists with 2, complemented by 3 steals.
• Mya Johnson had her season-high of 12 points and a season-high of 3 assists.

 
Looking Ahead:
The Redhawks are gearing up for their next challenge, hitting the road next week to face California Maritime and Pacific Union College in California.