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Redhawks Fall in NCAA Round One

Redhawks Fall in NCAA Round One

ITHACA, NY - Women's Basketball was slated to take on the Bombers of Ithaca College for the NCAA First Round matchup. La Roche made the hike to Upstate New York only to find heartbreak on Ben Lightning Court. 

The Redhawks struggled in the beginning. The new environment and the atmosphere that the Bombers' home court created threw the team a bit off-kilter, and so did the Ithaca defense. 

Coach Kam Gissendanner said "Hats off to Ithaca, we haven't played a team defensively like them all season. You can see why they hold opponents to only 49 points a game."

Danajah Sanders was the only La Roche member to break into double-digits, scoring 12 total points. She also earned 2 steals, 1 rebound, and 1 assist in her final game as a senior. When asked how Sanders felt to be ending her final season on this NCAA stage with this team she said, "Proud. I feel proud of my team and how far we've come this season."

Where La Roche excelled against the Bombers was their fast breaks. La Roche earned 10 points from fast breaks, some of which can be attributed to the rebounding from Machia Hairston. Hairston in her final game of the season snagged 13 boards and netted 8 points. 

In the post-game interview, Coach Gissendanner spoke about how the team hasn't lost a game since December, and how proud of her team she is for buckling down and completing this feat. "I want them to keep their heads high," said Gissendanner. "They had a great season and I'm proud of them."

La Roche actually games just shy of outsourcing Ithaca in the fourth quarter, but it was too late to keep them in the game for a victory.