COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The University of Colorado Colorado Springs women's basketball team (6-16, 4-9 RMAC) put on an exciting performance Friday night in the Gallogly Events Center against the Chadron State College Eagles (5-17, 3-19 RMAC), but fell short in the final minutes of the game, 74-78. The game went back and forth all game with 15 lead changes and neither team able to get an edge over the other.
Caley Barnard opened up the game with the first two points in just ten seconds of tip-off as freshman Desiree Pierson followed with a quick steal, and kick to Abby Fieckert for an easy layup. From there the Mountain Lions went on an 11-2 run leading 17-4 at just under four minutes into the game. The Eagles picked up their defense while Jori Peterson and Taryn Foxen took turns chipping away at the Mountain Lions lead going on a 12-5 run in the last three minutes of the first quarter. UCCS ended the first quarter tied at 25-25.
The second quarter started out slow with the first points not coming until nearly two and a half minutes in by CSC. Both teams had a hard time getting shots to fall with CSC shooting 4-16 (25 percent) and UCCS shooting just 6-19 (31.6percent). Free throws are what kept the Eagles in the game getting eight attempts, making all but one, at the line compared to UCCS' single attempt.
The second half started with UCCS ahead by just one point (38-37). CSC set the tone going on a 10-0 run in the first four minutes. Each shot UCCS put up CSC matched with the shooting percentage being nearly identical, UCCS shot 37.2 percent to CSC' 37.1 percent. What the game came down to was free throws. Chadron State had 14 opportunities at the line and only missed two (85.7 percent) while UCCS had 10, but made only two for the night (20 percent).
Taryn Foxen and Jori Peters were monstrous players for the Eagles putting up 25 points between them, 19 and 6 respectively. Peters had five assists and a steal to add, while also going 4-4 at the line.
UCCS' bench put in work putting up 19 points while 26 came from the paint. Madi Gaibler and Abby Fieckert led the team with scoring, racking up 37 points between them 16 and 21 respectively. Fieckert shot 56.6 percent (9-16) from the field and 33.3 percent (3-9) behind the arc. Freshman Ellie Moore had an amazing defensive night with five blocks and adding four assists on the offensive end.
The Mountain Lions will be back in the Gallogly Events Center Saturday night at 5:30 p.m. to take on MSU Denver Roadrunner.
