Owls Stop Five Game Slide; Beat Old WSC-South Rival Canyons

Santa Clarita, CA - The Citrus College Women's Basketball defeated an old rival on Saturday evening, but more importantly stopped a five game slide. The Owls took on College of the Canyons, who is no longer in the same WSC Division as Citrus College. 

 The Owls got off to a strong start, scoring the first two baskets of the game, one on a layup by freshman Celeste Fekay and the other on a three from sophomore Jasmine Meza. The Owls would keep their lead around that early five point margin, until a late tiny run in the first quarter, got the Cougars to within one with 46 seconds left. The responded though, getting a layup by sophomore Marisa Brown and a tip-in at the buzzer by sophomore Jessica Rosas to make it 17-12. 

The second quarter, would see the two schools trade leads and a few baskets. The score would be tied once in the second frame, and the lead would change hands six different times. Canyons would secure their first advantage with 8:24 left, and their last of the first half when they went out in front 24-23 with 3:43 to go. The lead would stay with the Cougars for the next two minutes until Rosas hit a jumper with 1:55 left to make it 25-24 for the last bucket before halftime. 

Canyons would come and one again briefly regain the lead to start the third quarter, when they made the half's opening basket. Citrus quickly took it back however, as Meza drained a huge three that put the Owls back on top 28-26. That three sparked a 9-3 run by the Owls that saw them take their biggest lead of the game 37-29, and a lay-in by Brown with 5:41 to go made it 37-29. 

The Cougars would try to close the gap late in the third, scoring six straight to come to within two, at 39-41, but Meza hit a three on the next trip down the floor for Citrus and only a layup by the Cougars with 28 seconds to go made it a three point game headed into the fourth quarter. 

In the fourth, Canyons would keep coming at the Owls, tying the game up with 6:58 left in the game. After few uneventful possessions for both squads, the Owls would pull back in front getting a three from Meza, a layup from freshman Jasmine Williams, and one of two free-throws from Rosas to take a six point lead. Citrus never let Canyons get closer than three the rest of the way.

In the win, Citrus was led by Meza and Rosas who each had a team high 17 points a piece. Rosas reeled in a game high 12 boards, as did Brown who had 13 points, and Williams who had six off the bench. Meza nearly had a triple double, with seven boards and eight assists on the night. 

With the win, Citrus improves to 3-12 on the year. The Owls have one game left on their 2016-2017 non-conference schedule on Wednesday when they host West Los Angeles College at 5:00 PM.