On Saturday afternoon, the Benedictine Mesa Women's Basketball Team fought valiantly but ultimately fell to Hope International, 75-64, in an intense overtime contest.

1st Quarter: Hope International set the tone early with strong defense and effective shooting. Amira Austin opened the scoring with a layup, giving the Royals a quick 2-0 lead. The Redhawks struggled offensively, committing several turnovers and missing key shots. Hope International capitalized on these opportunities, extending their lead to 7-0 with a jumper from Mia Heidt. Benedictine Mesa finally broke through when Naomi Elliot hit a jump shot, bringing the score to 7-2. Maria Moore provided a spark scoring a layup and converting a free throw to bring the Redhawks within two at 7-5. However, Hope International responded with a three-pointer, pushing the lead to 10-5. The Redhawks closed the gap and ended the quarter tied at 16-16.

2nd Quarter: The second quarter was a back-and-forth battle. The Redhawks took the lead with a layup from Nyah Henderson, making it 18-16. Hope International quickly reclaimed the advantage with a three-pointer from Trasara Alexander. Benedictine Mesa struggled to find their rhythm, but Alize Ruiz converted two free throws, and Moore knocked down a jump shot and a layup to keep the Redhawks within striking distance at 26-24. Despite their efforts, Hope International held a 31-26 lead at halftime.

3rd Quarter: The Redhawks began the third quarter strong, with Mya Johnson sinking a jumper to narrow the gap to 31-28. However, Hope International quickly responded with a basket. The teams exchanged leads, with Olivia Arvallo hitting a jump shot to give Benedictine Mesa a brief lead at 35-33. The back-and-forth continued, with the Redhawks heading into the fourth quarter with a narrow lead of 41-39.

4th Quarter: The final quarter was tightly contested, with both teams making key substitutions. Hope International brought the game within one point, but Alize Ruiz quickly extended the Redhawks' lead with a jump shot. Mya Johnson then hit a three-pointer, pushing the lead to 49-43. The Royals mounted a comeback, tying the game at 59-59 with a last-second jumper, forcing overtime.

Overtime: In the overtime period, Hope International pulled away late, with Mia Heidt scoring first to give them a 61-59 lead. Despite strong efforts from Johnson, who scored a layup to bring the deficit back to one, the Redhawks struggled to capitalize on their possessions. Hope International extended their lead, and despite a technical foul giving Johnson a chance to sink two free throws, the Royals held on for the win.

Key Performers:

• Mya Johnson: 20 points, 1 steal, 1 rebound, 1 assist
• Alize Ruiz: 15 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists
• Maria Moore: 9 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Looking Ahead: The Redhawks will look to bounce back on Wednesday as they host Embry-Riddle in their next matchup.