CLAREMONT, Calif. — The University of La Verne women's basketball team went cold at the wrong time and lost, 71-59, to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday night at Rains Center.
The Leopards went toe-to-toe with the defending SCIAC champion for three quarters but went 2-of-14 from the field in the fourth quarter as the Athenas pulled away.
La Verne falls to 2-8 overall and 0-1 in SCIAC play. CMS improves to 7-4 and 2-0.
The Athenas only made four baskets in the final quarter but was clinical at the charity stripe, making 15 of 16 free throws.
A pair of free throws by Shannon Irwin got the Leopards within 54-49 with 5:54 to go but La Verne missed its next six shots and could not get any closer.
Irwin, Noelle Cobb and Emily Myers each scored 12 points. Myers also collected 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season.
Jai Dungca led all scorers with 26 points for the Athenas. Quinn Glosniak had 12 points and nine rebounds, and Mara Falahee grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds off the bench.
CMS had a chance to pull away in the second quarter when it went on a 11-0 run to take a 26-19 lead. But Myers made two straight baskets and Brianna Bishop followed with a 3-pointer to prevent the game from getting out of hand.
The Leopards return to action on Tuesday at Whittier at 7:30 p.m.