In a tightly contested first quarter, Benedictine Mesa matched Westcliff's intensity early, quickly answering an opening layup from Kassidy Beach with two successful free throws by
Alize Ruiz to tie the game. Ruiz was dominant on both ends, grabbing rebounds and driving the offense forward. A layup from Ruiz and a jumper by
Alexia Wilcox briefly put Benedictine ahead, and a free throw by
Xaria Culver extended the lead to three. Despite a three-pointer from Natalie Satamian and free throws from Jayla Reliford for Westcliff, Benedictine stayed composed. Ruiz's late free throws gave Benedictine a narrow 10-9 lead, but Westcliff pulled ahead to close the quarter at 13-10.
In the second quarter, Benedictine Mesa's defense and timely scoring helped them regain the lead.
Olivia Arvallo tied the game at 13 with a steal and a three-pointer, followed by a quick steal from Ruiz and a layup by
Naomi Elliot, putting Benedictine up 15-13. Elliot hit consecutive jumpers to extend the lead to 20-13. Defensive efforts by
Alize Ruiz and
Nyah Henderson kept Westcliff under pressure, with Henderson drawing fouls and Ruiz contributing defensively. Westcliff closed the gap with key plays from Maria Serrano and Chloe Wright, bringing the score to 23-22, but Benedictine held a 24-22 lead at halftime.
In the third quarter, Benedictine Mesa maintained control with clutch plays and resilient defense.
Alize Ruiz led the way, contributing a key steal, several rebounds, and free throws to extend the lead to nine.
Nyah Henderson's jumper added to the margin, and made free throws kept the Redhawks in front. Westcliff attempted a comeback, with a layup by Chloe Wright and a technical foul drawn by Jayla Reliford. Free throws allowed Westcliff to sneak ahead with three minutes left. A late layup by
Olivia Arvallo brought the Redhawks within striking distance, but the quarter ended with Benedictine trailing, setting up a competitive final period.
In a hard-fought fourth quarter, Benedictine Mesa battled to edge ahead, with
Alize Ruiz and
Alexia Wilcox making crucial contributions. Wilcox hit a vital three-pointer early, while Ruiz's resilience at the free-throw line kept Benedictine in front. Despite turnovers and back-and-forth fouls, the Redhawks held their lead with strong defense and a clutch jumper by
Danaya Murray, bringing them within two points near the end. However, a series of free throws by Westcliff in the final seconds clinched a narrow 57-53 victory for Westcliff in this intense contest.
Key Players:
Looking Ahead:
The Redhawks return to the court on Saturday, November 16, to face #6 University of Providence at home at 12:00 PM.
