UNOH Hands Women's Basketball WHAC Defeat

(Lima, OH)-- The Cleary Cougar women's basketball team was on the road, but were unable to earn the victory, as they fell to the host Racers of Northwestern Ohio Saturday afternoon.

The two teams traded baskets over the first five minutes of game action, with Mileisha Rodriguez and Samantha Hoelscher each scoring a pair of free throws, followed by an Amy Jackson three to make it a 7-7 game.  UNOH would score eight unanswered points to take control of the game, and a Rylee Thomas three with thirty seconds to play in the first quarter would cut the deficit to 21-15 in favor of the Racers.  

A Taedom Stein jumper would start the second quarter well for the Cougars, but UNOH's defense would not allow the Cougars to get any closer than that four point margin.  Late in the half, the Racers would extend their lead to double-digits, and a late three would make it a fifteen point game at the half in favor of UNOH, as Cleary trailed 42-27.

The Racers would continue to extend their lead in the third quarter, as the deficit grew to as many as nineteen points just over two minutes into the action.  Cleary would fight back, and cut the deficit to eleven points with three minutes remaining in the quarter after Taedom Stein hit a jumper.  UNOH would make back to back baskets before Amy Jackson hit a three before the quarter ended to make the score 59-47.

Mileisha Rodriguez would continue her strong second half to start the fourth, and cut the deficit to ten points on the Cougars' opening possession.  Another Rodriguez basket made an eight point game, but UNOH would hit back to back threes to extend their lead back to double-digits.  Cleary would be forced to enxtend their defense, but were unable to break through the Racer defense, as the Cougars would fall 78-62.

Amy Jackson had a team high 19 points, with 5 made threes, to go with 3 rebounds and 2 steals.  Mileisha Rodriguez added 14 points and 9 rebounds, while Izzy Dugal chipped in 11 points and 7 rebounds off the bench.

Cleary falls to 7-13, 6-7 in the WHAC.  The Cougars will have a week off before traveling to Fort Wayne to take on the Indiana Tech Warriors.  The game is set to begin at 1:00 PM.