The Benedictine Mesa Women's Basketball team achieved a hard-fought victory against OUAZ on Wednesday night, winning 64-58 on the road.
1st Quarter:Â The game began with Benedictine Mesa taking an early lead of 6-0, thanks to contributions from Naomi Elliot and Maria Moore. The Redhawks displayed solid defense, highlighted by a block from Mya Johnson and crucial rebounds. However, OUAZ quickly responded, narrowing the deficit to 6-4 with a layup from Tiana Sledge. A free throw by Alize Ruiz briefly extended the lead, but Makayla Holthaus's three-pointer tied the game at 7-7. The teams traded baskets, with Angel Addleman and Elaina Martinez giving OUAZ a 12-9 lead. Nyah Henderson answered with a layup, but Martinez hit another three-pointer, ending the quarter with OUAZ holding a slight advantage.
2nd Quarter:Â The second quarter was a defensive struggle for both teams. Following a turnover by Henderson, Benedictine made strategic substitutions, bringing in Xaria Culver and Angelique Moreno. OUAZ managed to push their lead to 17-13, but Benedictine fought back with strong defensive efforts, including a rebound by Alize Ruiz. Despite some missed shots by Olivia Arvallo and Mya Johnson, Ruiz's crucial jump shot at the 5:52 mark helped close the gap to 15-17. As the quarter wound down, the Redhawks took a brief lead at 19-17, but OUAZ tied the game before halftime.
3rd Quarter:Â The third quarter started with a tied score of 19. Both teams struggled offensively, but Henderson's tip-in put Benedictine ahead 21-19. Several fouls characterized the quarter, with Luka Wouters tying the game at 21 with free throws. The momentum shifted when Olivia Arvallo hit a three-pointer, extending the lead to 24-21. Benedictine's defense capitalized on turnovers, with Ruiz making another jump shot to increase the lead to 28-21. Although OUAZ narrowed the gap with a three-pointer, contributions from Alexis Emerson Berryhill and Arvallo allowed Benedictine to close the quarter with a 42-35 lead, highlighted by a strong push from Maria Moore.
4th Quarter:Â In the final quarter, Benedictine maintained their competitive edge. After the introduction of Alexia Wilcox and Arvallo, Mya Johnson opened the scoring with a three-pointer, pushing the lead to 45-35. OUAZ responded with a three-pointer of their own, but Benedictine's Alize Ruiz and Nyah Henderson consistently extended their lead. Henderson's jump shot put the Redhawks ahead 53-44. Although OUAZ fought back to close the gap to 55-50, Benedictine's defense held strong. Key baskets from Henderson and Arvallo in the final minutes secured the victory, with the game ending 64-58 in favor of Benedictine Mesa.
Key Players:
Looking Ahead:Â The Redhawks return to the court on Saturday, February 15th, as they face Park Gilbert on the road.
