The Benedictine Mesa Women's Basketball team fell to Montana Western, 80-64, on Wednesday evening.
First Quarter: Montana Western started strong with a layup from Isabella Lund, assisted by Trinidie Nichols. Benedictine Mesa struggled early, missing several attempts before
Nyah Henderson got them on the board with free throws. A layup from Henderson and a jumper by
Alize Ruiz tied the game at 6-6, but Montana Western quickly regained control, led by a three-pointer from Nichols and consistent scoring from Keke Davis and Lund, widening the gap. Despite contributions from Ruiz and Henderson, turnovers and missed opportunities hindered Benedictine's momentum. A buzzer-beating layup by Ruiz helped close the quarter at 30-17 in favor of Montana Western.
Second Quarter: Montana Western continued to dominate, extending their lead through strong defense and efficient offense. Benedictine Mesa struggled with turnovers, allowing Montana Western to capitalize with fast breaks. Despite moments of resilience from
Danaya Murray and
Xaria Culver in the paint, the period ended with Montana Western leading 48-27.
Third Quarter: The third quarter saw Benedictine Mesa fight back, but Montana Western maintained its dominance. After a quick turnover,
Nyah Henderson scored a jumper, reducing the deficit to 29-48.
Alize Ruiz added a free throw, but Montana Western responded with a layup from Nichols. Despite battling for rebounds, Benedictine struggled with turnovers and missed shots, with Montana Western finishing the quarter ahead 67-42.
Fourth Quarter: The action intensified as both teams made strategic substitutions. Montana Western's Kenzi Pedersen opened the scoring with a jumper, but Benedictine responded with a jumper from
Alize Ruiz and a layup from
Xaria Culver to narrow the score to 46-69. Despite Ruiz's free throws and Culver's continued effort, Montana Western extended their lead with contributions from Nichols and Maddy Moy. Despite Benedictine's attempts to regain momentum, they ultimately fell 80-64 to Montana Western.
Key Players:
Looking Ahead: The Women's Basketball team returns to the court on Thursday, December 19th, as they take on Montana State Northern in the Cactus Classic at 2:00 PM.
