ORANGE, Calif. -- The Loggers roll to their second straight victory in California, taking down the Chapman Panthers 49-41 in a stout defensive battle.
How it Happened
The Loggers' defense continued to roll, as Puget Sound took down yet another top SCIAC school. They beat Whittier 54-51 on Wednesday, the 2024-25 regular season champion, and took down third-place Chapman today.
The game got off to a great start, as
Mele Sake drained the first shot of the day. After the game was tied up at four, the Panthers started on a mini run, going up 6-11. The Loggers came back with a run of their own, as
Hailey Quiggle knocked down a layup, Sake hit one at the stripe, and
Cayton Smith drained a three to put the Loggers back on top 12-11 to end the quarter.
To start the second quarter, the Loggers continued to extend their lead.
Brianna Forbess laid it in, Smith drained a three, and Quiggle found a bucket as well to put the Loggers up 19-11. The Loggers' defense was so good that they held the Panthers scoreless for over five minutes in the quarter. Another Smith Jumper extended the lead to nine, but a Chapman run made it 24-22 Loggers at half.
The Panthers pulled ahead early in the third quarter, then both teams struggled to get the ball in the basket. It quickly became the
Carmen Cruz show, as she started to heat up. A three, layup, and pair of free throws helped put the Loggers up 36-29, as an
Autumn Hill layup gave the squad a nine-point lead going into the fourth.
Chapman bounced back in the fourth, but it wasn't anything the Loggers couldn't handle. Smith scored five straight for the Loggers, putting them back up 43-34. The largest lead for the Loggers was 10, as the team held strong defensively to keep the Panthers at bay. A final pair of free throws by Smith put the game away, as they finished with a 49-41 win over Chapman.
Top Performers
Cruz finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Smith added 12 points, five boards, and three assists to cap off the Loggers' victory.
What Happens Next
The Loggers take on Occidental College Sunday, November 30th, at 2:00 pm.
