Southern Region Champions!!!

Last night's 86-80 comeback win against Lane CC ran our record to 26-2 and captured the NWAACC Southern Region Championship. We were down by as many as 16 in the first half but regrouped a little and were only down by 8 at halftime. Lane extended their lead to 14 with 12 minutes to go and then we were finally able to get a string of defensive stops. Kristi Fallin scored 18 points in those last 12 minutes to finish with a season high 37 and Miranda Holenstein, Cassie Scheffelmaier, and Titi Takai all made huge hustle plays down the stretch.

I can't tell you how proud I am of the way the girls pulled out the win. It would have been easy to conclude early on that it just wasn't our night but not a single player eased up and not a single player ever doubted. Everyone filled their role to the very best of their ability and definitely played "for" each other not just "with" each other. When we all went out to eat after the game it was hard for everyone to talk because nearly all of us were hoarse from yelling and cheering. Numerous times in the second half our bench would start waving towels and chanting "Defense!" and then the cheerleaders would chime in and then the crowd got involved and the adrenaline started rushing. Mykiea Russell was on the bench in foul trouble most of the game but I don't think she sat down for more than ten seconds at a time! (When we watched the tape tonight after dinner we had as much fun watching the action on the bench as we did watching the game itself.)

For me the best part of the night came immediately after the game when I was able to hug each of the sophomores and let them know how important they are to me. This was the last home game they will ever play at UCC and they created a memory for themselves and for the rest of us that will last for a long, long, time. They have absolutely no idea just how much I've loved being their coach and how much I am going to miss them when they're gone!!