Owls Go 1-2 in Season Opening Tournament

Walnut, CA - The Citrus College Women's Basketball team opened up their 2016-2017 season over the weekend when they participated in the Linda G. Smith Memorial Tip-Off Tournament hosted by Mt. San Antonio College. The Owls opened up with a 48-68 loss to Rio Hondo College, before rallying with a 87-59 win over San Bernardino Valley College in the consolation semi-finals. The weekend ended against former conference rival College of the Canyons, and the Owls falling 62-70.

 In the opener against the Roadrunners, Citrus got off to a great start, leading 21-16 after the first quarter. The Owls had a terrible second quarter though going just 3 for 13 from the field and turning the ball over 14 times as Rio Hondo overtook the lead and went into halftime down 27-42. Citrus would have a better third quarter outscoring the Roadrunners by four, but the Owls had a tough fourth before falling by 20. Sophomore Marissa Brown led all Owl scorers with 14 points in the loss adding eight boards. Sophomore Marisol Chavez-Delgado added nine points and a team high nine rebounds, while sophomore Jasmine Meza came off the bench to add 11 points, five boards and five assists. 

After the rough start, Citrus rallied nicely on day two. The Owls had a similar issue in the first half running out to a 30-11 lead after the first quarter before being outscored 24-5 in the second to go into halftime tied at 35 all. After the break, Citrus responded in a big way outscoring the Wolverines by 28 over the final 20 minutes of play. Brown once again paced the scoring effort with a game high 23 points, and team high nine boards. Meza scored 10 more and had her first double-double of the year with 10 assists, falling just three rebounds shy of a triple-double. Freshman Cassandra Martinez had 17, and freshman Celeste Fakay also had 17 off the bench. 

In the finale, Citrus kept things close through the first three-quarters of the first quarter trailing by just three with 3:11 left. The Cougars closed the first eight minutes on a 6-2 run with only a jumper by Brown being the difference, as the Owls trailed 22-15 after one. Canyons would outscore the Owls by two in the second, but Citrus got one point back in the third. In the fourth, each team scored 22 points, leaving the eight point difference through three as the final deficit for Citrus. Brown notched her first double-double of the season in the loss, scoring a game high 28 points and adding 18 boards. Brown also blocked three shots. 

The Owls will be back in action this coming weekend when they participate in the San Jacinto Lion's Club Lady Eagle Tip-Off Tournament hosted by Mt. San Jacinto College. Citrus will take on Chaffey College in the opening round, with tip-off set for 3:00 PM on Friday.