Ramblers Fall Short Against George Washington

The Loyola women’s basketball team played for breast cancer awareness against George Washington University in Gentile Arena Feb. 12. Despite momentum late in the fourth quarter, the Ramblers fell short 53-41. 

Head coach Allison Guth said she’s concerned with the consistency of her starters as there was minimal scoring in the first three quarters and 26 of the points in the fourth coming off the bench. 

“You go to the bench and it either toes the line or gives you a spark,” Guth said. “You have to be confident that your core unit produces day in and day out. There has been inconsistency in our team because of adversity and people being in and out of the lineup with injuries.” 

Fourth-year guard Jess Finney led the Ramblers with 10 points, while graduate forward Paige Mott spurred the Revolutionaries to victory with 16 points.

The opening tipoff was secured by graduate forward Sitori Tanin, while third-year forward Emma Theodorsson started the scoring with a layup. George Washington’s graduate guard Makayla Andrews combatted it with a jumper and a free throw. 

Mott and third-year guard Filipia Calisto each finished a layup for the Revolutionaries before Tanin was fouled by Calisto on the next Rambler possession and drained both free throws. 

The Patriots went on a seven-point run to finish out a slow first quarter, which included a 3-pointer by second-year forward Sara Lewis, alongside jump shots by fourth-year forward Maxine Engel and Mott giving the Revolutionaries a 14-4 lead. 

The Ramblers started the second quarter with a layup by graduate guard Naelle Bernard. The Revolutionaries countered, with Andrews and Calisto each making a 3-pointer and first-year guard Gabby Renyolds getting on the board with a layup. 

Theodorsson added a 3-pointer for the Ramblers, which was negated by a layup and free throw by Andrews. Back-to-back driving layups by Lewis and Andrews fortified the Revolutionaries’ 29-8 halftime lead.

Reynolds was fouled at the start of the third quarter and added both free throws before Bernard answered with a driving layup, and Theodorsson had a successful trip at the line to make it 30-12. 

An Engel steal setup Reynolds for a jumper then Mott followed with a layup while Finney inched the Ramblers forward with a 3-pointer. 

After being fouled by Tanin, Mott continued her strong play with two free throws and a layup. On the other end, a steal by third-year guard Kira Chivers yielded a 3-pointer from first-year forward Roisin Grandberry. 

Finney gained a layup, but the Revolutionaries’ lead increased to 39-20 after second-year guard Kamari Sims made a lone free throw.

Andrews dropped in two free throws, while first-year forward Brooklyn Vaughn followed with a jumper. Another steal from Chivers was converted into a layup by first-year guard Alexa Kinas as the third quarter ended with the Ramblers down 41-24.

Second-year guard Rosalie Mercille and Mott began the fourth-quarter by exchanging layups. Chivers added a 3-pointer, and a driving layup from Mercille closed the gap to 43-31. 

Finney gained a 3-pointer and two free throws for the Ramblers, prompting a Revolutionaries timeout. Andrews and Renyolds each made a single free throw, while a 3-pointer by second-year guard Audrey Deptula decreased the deficit to six — the closest the sides had been since the beginning of the first quarter. 

Vaughn made a jump shot and Deptula drained a 3-pointer, but it wasn’t enough, as the Revolutionaries went a perfect eight-for-eight on free throw attempts. Reynolds iced the 53-41 victory at the line.

Guth said despite the loss, she was proud of the team for playing for a bigger cause. 

“Today we draw awareness specifically to breast cancer, but we are really drawing awareness to anyone that has been in this fight,” Guth said. “It makes it really personal. We talked about what that fight means. When playing a game like this, it’s about the way you observe people approaching life in a positive manner.” 

The Ramblers play the University of Massachusetts Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 5 p.m. in Amherst, Mass. Streaming will be available on ESPN+.