SHERMAN, Texas - The Austin College women's basketball team dropped a 63-51 decision to visiting Linfield University on Saturday afternoon, as the 'Roos shot just 30% from the field while Linfield knocked down 46% of their attempts in a non-conference game in Hughey Gym. The 'Roos are now 1-2 overall on the year.
Lexi Martin buried a three on the first possession of the game for the 'Roos, but Linfield used an 8-2 run to take the lead before the 'Roos battled back to go ahead 13-12 on a basket by Megan O'Neil with just over a minute left in the opening quarter. The Wildcats got a three from Anna Dazey to regain the lead with 32 seconds left, and they wouldn't relinquish it the rest of the game. Linfield finished the opening quarter leading 17-13, and after Amarys Cuellar knocked down a three to open the scoring for Austin College in the second quarter, Linfield scored the next five to make it 22-16. Martin hit her second three of the game to cut it to 22-19 before the Wildcats surged ahead 27-19 with 6:07 remaining before the break.
The Linfield lead grew to 31-21 with just under five minutes left in the period, but after a Wildcats basket to make it 33-22, Austin College closed the quarter strong with an 8-2 run to cut it to a 35-30 game at the break. A three-point-play by Lauren Traylor early in the third trimmed it to 37-33, and the 'Roos would keep it close for the rest of the quarter before the Wildcats wrapped up the period with a 46-39 lead.
The Wildcats came out strong in the fourth quarter, pushing the lead to 56-40 with 6:08 left to play before Austin College started to chip away at the deficit. Martin and Cuellar each scored for the 'Roos to make it 56-44, and O'Neil's three-point-play capped a 7-0 run to pull Austin College back within single digits at 56-47 with just over four minutes left. Brooklyn Matthews knocked down a jumper to cut it to 58-51 with 1:30 remaining. That's as close as the 'Roos would get, though, as Linfield managed to score the final five points of the game to make it a 63-51 final.
Cuellar and O'Neil each scored 11 to pace Austin College, with Cuellar adding four rebounds while O'Neil chipped in a pair of steals. Martin finished with 10 points and tied for the team-high with four boards, while also handing out a team-best four assists. The Wildcats got 18 points and 13 rebounds from Miki Vermeulen, who was 8-of-11 from the field, and 13 apiece from Janessa Yniguez and Gillyan Landis. The Wildcats finishe the game with a 52-23 advantage on the glass, while the 'Roos won the turnover battle with 11 compared to 23 for Linfield.