Women’s Basketball Season Ends in 70-54 A-10 Tournament Loss to Richmond

The Loyola women’s basketball team fell short 70-54 against the University of Richmond in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic 10 conference tournament March 8. The Spiders eventually went on to win the championship and will represent the A-10 in the NCAA March Madness tournament.

Graduate guards Sam Galanopoulos and Alyssa Fisher led the charge for the Ramblers, scoring a combined 39 points in the loss Friday morning. Richmond’s fourth-year forward Addiei Budnik, the A-10’s Defensive Player of the Year, was the leading scorer for the Spiders, recording 18 points, three rebounds and two blocks. 

The Spiders started the game off on a 12-0 run which ended when fourth-year forward Sitori Tanin made one at the line to get Loyola on the board. The Rambler offense only managed nine points in the first quarter with a 3-pointer and reverse layup from Galanopoulos and three made free-throws from graduate guard Emma Nolan. 

Richmond would add eight more after their run off a jumper by second-year forward Maggie Doogan, a driving layup from second-year guard Rachel Ullstrom and two layups from Budnik, giving them a comfortable 20-9 lead to end the first quarter. 

Fourth-year Spider guard Siobhan Ryan started the second quarter with two free-throws for the Spiders. Fourth-year Richmond guard Grace Townsend added one more at the line before fourth-year guard Thoranna Kika Hodge-Carr made a reverse layup to get the Ramblers into double-digits at 23-11.

Budnik made a 3-pointer before Galanopoulos hit one of her own off a no-look pass from Hodge-Carr. Budnik added two at the line, still leading the Ramblers 28-14. 

Galanopoulos hit an open layup and Ullstrom made a second-chance three after her first attempt was wide of the net. Fisher made two of three at the line after being fouled by Townsend.

Loyola went on a five-minute scoring drought, allowing the Spiders to add nine points to the board. Fisher broke the drought by making two at the line, but the Spiders closed out the first half ahead 43-22 following an Ullstrom 3-pointer.  

Third-year guard Katie Hill opened scoring in the third quarter with a driving layup, followed by a 3-pointer from Fisher. Budnik responded with a wide-open three to make the game 48-25. Galanopoulos drove in a layup and Berg made a three to put the Ramblers within 20 of the Spiders before Hill added one at the line at 51-30. 

Budnik hit another 3-pointer before second-year guard Kira Chivers forced a steal and took it all the way for a layup. Chivers recorded a key assist and found Galanopoulos for a layup through the Spiders defense, recording the last points of the quarter at 54-34. 

Doogan made the first bucket of the final quarter while Fisher added one at the line. Galanopoulos added three points with a made layup, was fouled and capitalized on an and-one before sending in a reverse layup off a steal to bring Loyola within 16. 

Tanin continued to close the gap with a layup, but Doogan hit a jumper and accepted a pass from Townsend for another layup. Fisher added a jumper before a timeout was called by the Spiders at 63-44. 

Galanopoulos, Fisher and Sophia Nolan added 10 points with two 3-pointers, a layup and two at the line, which were the final points of the Ramblers season. Doogan made a layup and Hill hit a pull-up, securing the win for the Spiders at 70-54. 

Fisher reflected on the time she spent with the Ramblers in her final year of eligibility and said she was happy with the decision she made to come to Loyola and the relationships she built with the team. 

“Being able to celebrate our wins but being able to sit in our losses, learn from those and then be better the next day,” Fisher said. “There’s no women I would rather go to practice with, do a hard practice with, go on a road trip with, eat ice cream with and have those moments that we are able to create.” 

Galanopoulos agreed and said this past season was fun because of the family and sisterhood the team fostered. 

“I came back here for my fifth year for a reason,” Galanopoulos said. “I couldn’t imagine a better last year.” 

Loyola head coach Allison Guth complimented the Richmond Spiders on their victory and noted the family culture surrounding the women’s basketball team. She said the growth of the team from winning only one game last year to making it to the quarterfinals this season has been a journey she will never forget. 

“We’re a group that really loves each other, loves the game of basketball and wants to honor the game the way it should be played,” Guth said. “This is an opportunity not everyone gets and we try to never take anything for granted. I think the journey for us has been our job to create that atmosphere and improve us as a basketball program. I think we’ve seen that and I think a lot has been based on how we are going to fight for this university and for this opportunity.” 

Featured image by Aidan Cahill | The Phoenix