Loyola women’s basketball closed their regular season with a loss to La Salle, dropping them from sixth to eighth in the A10.
Loyola women’s basketball closed their regular season with a loss to La Salle, dropping them from sixth to eighth in the A10.
Loyola women’s basketball closed out their regular season with a 70-57 loss to La Salle University Feb. 28. The loss sank Loyola from sixth to eighth in Atlantic 10 (A10) conference standings as they head to Henrico, Va. for the conference tournament.
First-year guard and forward Alex-Anne Bessette and graduate guard led Loyola with 13 points while Mobley added on 10 rebounds for her first career double double. The Explorers saw a game high 26 points from redshirt third-year guard Ashleigh Connor.
La Salle started the first quarter hot on a 7-0 run off a three from fourth-year forward Anna Przyszlak and a pair of layups from redshirt first-year Kiara Williams and Connor. Fourth-year guard Kira Chivers scored Loyola’s first points three minutes into the quarter with five straight on a layup and 3-pointer.
A three from Connor countered as Loyola’s offense fell silent for another two minutes. Bessette broke the streak with a steal and score, followed by offsetting layups from Chivers and first-year Explorers forward Amiya Moses. Connor tacked on another layup as first-year forward Nevaeh Dickman hit a jumper with a minute left to close the quarter with a 14-11 La Salle lead.
Connor kicked off the second quarter with a layup, met a minute later by one from second-year forward Brooklyn Vaughn. Moses and second-year forward Roisin Grandberry traded layups before a 5-0 Explorers run. Fourth-year guard Ivona Miljanic sank a jumper and Connor finished a three point play for a 23-15 advantage.
Third-year guard Rosalie Mercille ended the run with her own three point play before her work was undone by a free throw from second-year La Salle guard Joan Quinn and a Williams layup. Chivers sank one of two at the line before a Bessette layup brought Loyola back within five.
Williams followed with a layup and redshirt first-year Explorers guard Lauren Patnode knocked down a 3-pointer. First-year guard Daniella Matus matched with a three of her own as Patnode and Mercille traded single free throws to end the half in a 31-25 Explorers advantage.
Bessette swished a three to start the second half before Loyola’s offense hit a three minute cold stretch. La Salle took advantage with a 6-0 run on jumpers from Williams and redshirt second-year guard Aryss Macktoon and Moses added a layup.
A free throw from Bessette broke the streak as Macktoon added another jumper. Bessette sank her second three of the quarter, countered by two from Przyszlak. Connor and Chivers traded solo free throws and Williams and Mobley swapped layups with Mobley finishing the and-one to make it 44-36 La Salle.
Connor followed with a three point play of her own as Mobley found her way to the rim for another layup and a tip-in the next possession. The Ramblers remained scoreless for the final two minutes of the quarter as Macktoon closed the quarter with a fastbreak lay-in.
Macktoon and Mobley traded baskets to open the fourth before Macktoon added another layup for an 11 point advantage. Bessette and Matus made back-to-back layups for Loyola, met by a layup from Connor.
Redshirt third-year forward Clara Djoko made a single foul shot as Williams sank a jump shot for La Salle. Second-year guard Kendall Hendrix scored a three point play before another 5-0 Explorers run. Quinn made a layup before Connor sank three free throws on two trips for a 62-50 lead.
Mobley and Connor swapped a pair of free throws with two minutes to play. Chivers made a layup and Connor hit another two at the stripe. Macktoon made a free throw, followed by a single free throw from second-year guard Alexa Kinas, capped by a foul shot from Connor.
A Mobley layup was too little too late, as Quinn closed the scoring with final free throws for a 70-57 La Salle win.
Head coach Allison Guth spoke on Chivers’ strong performance in what was her final regular season game as a Rambler.
“I’ll tell you, the biggest positive today was Kira Chivers,” Guth said. “She played with the energy and effort of a senior who was willing to put the team on her back and try to carry us to the finish line. That’s the standard we’re capable of. We know we have another level to reach, especially in February as we prepare for March and the A10 tournament. Our focus now is making sure we bring that energy and inspiration every time out.”
Loyola begins postseason play at the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Thursday March 5 at 11 a.m. where they will face St. Bonaventure University for the third time this season. The Ramblers won both prior matchups over the Bonnies, 58-55 Feb. 21 and 60-52 Jan. 31. Streaming will be available on ESPN+.
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