The University of King’s College’s women’s basketball team led their first home game of the season, against Holland College, for the better part of four quarters. But in the end, they couldn’t hold on.
“I’m mad,” said Blue Devils guard Breagh Moore, “because it was a close game and we didn’t win, but hopefully we can beat them at some point in the year.”
Although Holland College scored the first basket, the Blue Devils had a strong lead for most of the Nov. 10 game, with Moore and forward Sarah MacDonald scoring most of the baskets for King’s.
At halftime, the Blue Devils were ahead by a point. They’d lost an 18-point lead, the largest of the game, during the second quarter.
“We’re winning, that’s what counts,” said King’s student Tom Davison from the bleachers at halftime. “Most people said we were going to get crushed.”
The Blue Devils kept the lead until the last two minutes of the game.
“It was our first home game and it was nice,” said Jenn Bennett, the Blue Devils’ head coach, after the game.
“To be honest though, a win’s a win, I don’t care where it comes from. You want to go and win every single game,” she said.
The final score was 92-89, with the Hurricanes on top.
“[This] is quite an experience for them and I think our first and second-year transfers are doing wonderful”– Blue Devils coach Jenn Bennett |
“It definitely went better than the last time we played them,” said Blue Devils player Allie Darwin, who’s on the injured reserve this semester with a concussion.
“Last time was kind of the same situation: we were up by 20 and ended up losing by 20. So, it’s disappointing. It definitely sucks. I know the girls are upset… but they’re taking the positives from it. We’re going to work on it and move on,” she said.
Darwin says that many first-year students like MacDonald and transfer students joined the Blue Devils this year, and are a “huge part of our team” and “learning a lot.”
“We just haven’t put together four solid quarters yet,” said Bennett. “I think we played really well for about three, and then not so well. We didn’t take care of some little things in the fourth quarter, which, unfortunately for us, Holland College took advantage of. That’s the game.”
“I’m definitely not happy about the loss, but we have a great group and I’m sure we’re going to rebound and hopefully we’ll have a different outcome against the Mount on Wednesday,” she said.
Darwin says the players feel the same way.
“Everyone was pretty bummed out when we first got down there,” she said, coming out of the locker room after the game, “but just when I came up they were already talking about the positives, like ‘we did this well, we’re improving every game.’ So, I think things are looking up. It sucks, but we’re going to survive.”
The team’s next game is on the road against Mount Saint Vincent University. They play Wednesday at 6 p.m.
