Rangers English sophomore Tiera “Tee” Sellers and Cardinals post player Lennah Leremiah fumble a rebound in the third quarter of the Oct. 21 game between the Rangers and the Cardinals in the Wellness Center of UIW. Sellers and kinesiology freshman Destiny Solis, right, combined for 33 points in their 71-52 victory. Photo by E. David Guel
Four players from women’s basketball team score in double-figures in lopsided victory.
By E. David Guel
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
After falling short to the Victoria Pirates in a high-intensity season opener, the Lady Rangers snatched their first win of the season, 71-52, against the University of the Incarnate Word Lady Cardinals Oct. 21 in the Wellness Center at UIW.
Rangers’ kinesiology freshman Destiny Solis and English sophomore Tiera “Tee” Sellers combined for 33 points.
Kinesiology freshman Destiny Solis drives past Cardinals guard Megan Lazaga in the first quarter of the Oct. 21 game between the Rangers and Cardinals in the Wellness Center at UIW. Solis scored 15 points, with 13 in the second half. The Rangers won 71-52. Photo by E. David Guel
Sellers scored a team high of 18 points.
Social work sophomore Aydrie Aguinaga scored 14 points and kinesiology sophomore Cheyenne Baxa fouled out with 10 points.
The two teams combined for 27 fouls, but the Rangers were sharper shooters at the free-throw line.
This college converted on 10 of 17 free-throw attempts while UIW made nine of 19 attempts.
The first six minutes of the game belonged to the Cardinals with help from post-play of Cardinal Alyssa Solis, who bullied her way to 10 points and multiple offensive rebounds low in the post by the final buzzer.
Cardinals guard Olivia Flores led her team with 11 points — including three 3-pointers.
After tightening up on defense and fine-tuning their offense through the second quarter, this college’s team chipped away at a small, early Cardinals’ lead and led 23-22 for the first time at the one-minute mark of the first half.
Rangers coach Haley Capestany noted improvements from last week’s defeat.
“Jesus Christ — discipline,” said Capestany, who emphasized a key change in the team’s mental toughness.
“That’s why they’re shooting correctly now,” she said with a laugh.
Capestany praised the aggressiveness of Ranger guard Solis, who spent much of her defensive play boxing out larger players in the paint.
“She’s the strongest player on my team,” Capestany said of Solis, who stands 5’3”. “In practice … when we’re doing rebounding drills, she beats everybody.”
Rangers English sophomore Tiera “Tee” Sellers, center, and kinesiology sophomore Cheyenne Baxa, right, jump for a rebound during the first quarter of the Oct. 21 game against the Cardinals. The Rangers won 71-52. Photo by E. David Guel
Solis, who scored 13 of her 15 points in the second half, made it a point to facilitate her teammates throughout the night.
“I make sure everybody’s in their spot and if someone’s out of place, I’ll pull it back and tell them ‘get back on your side,’” she said.
Cardinals coach Katy Cooke pinpointed “turnovers, missed shots and a poor defensive effort” as causes for her team’s loss.
“In the first half, we had about three turnovers in a row that really changed the momentum of the game,” Cooke said.
“You can’t win a game when you’re missing layups and you’re giving up layups,” she said, referring to the missed shots and poor defensive effort.
The Lady Rangers aim for a 2-1 league record against the Palo Alto Lady Palominos at 6 p.m. Oct. 28 in Candler Physical Education Center.
