Hancock Women Drop 52-50 Heartbreaker to Moorpark on Carney's Coaches vs. Cancer Night

Taylor Lee-Hammer and Grace Rosa combined to score 30 points, but the Allan Hancock College women's basketball team suffered a heartbreaking 52-50 conference loss to Moorpark Wednesday in Joe White Memorial Gymnasium. The Bulldogs dropped to 3-4 in Western State Conference action and 14-9 overall. Moorpark remained one game back of first place Ventura and improved to 6-1 in league and 18-8 overall. 

Hancock nearly overcame the loss of sophomore point guard Syenna Ramirez, who suffered an ankle injury in the second quarter. The St. Joseph High School graduate was carted off the court and did not return. At the time, Hancock trailed 16-12 after trailing 16-7 to start the second quarter. The Bulldogs outscored the Raiders 11-5 in the second quarter, but still trailed 21-20 at halftime.

The Bulldogs surged ahead in the third quarter and led by as many as four points. After leading by one point, 34-33, after three quarters, Hancock allowed Moorpark to go on a 10-3 run in the first five minutes of the fourth quarter to fall behind 43-37. The Bulldogs climbed back into the game behind five points apiece from Rosa and Lee-Hammer and trailed 50-49 with 14 seconds remaining. The Raiders made one of two free throws to take a 51-49 lead with 10 seconds to go. The Bulldogs had possession and after Lee-Hammer missed a potential go-ahead 3-point shot, Destinee Garcia pulled down the offensive rebound, was fouled by Moorpark and sent to the free throw line for two shots. The sophomore missed the first free throw and made the second to bring Hancock to within one point at 51-50 with five seconds to play. Hancock fouled Vanessa Desimone and she hit one of two free throws to seal the win.

Lee-Hammer led the Bulldogs with 16 points to go with three assists and one steal. The freshman went 5-for-15 from the field and 5-for-7 from the free-throw line. Rosa finished with 14 points and eight rebounds. The freshman center went 6-for-14 from the field and sank two of her four free throws. Freshman guard Karly Beyers went 3-for-10 from the floor and sank 1-of-5 from 3-point range to finish with eight points and six rebounds. Garcia added three points and nine rebounds.

Overall, Hancock shot 35 percent from the field, and 21 percent from 3-point range. The Bulldogs made 11 of 17 free throws, and won the rebound battle 36 to 24.

Moorpark shot 38 percent from the field and went 7-for-19 from 3-point range. Desimone led the Raiders with 15 points, while Elisa Munoz-Albanez added 14 points.

The evening started in an uplifting manner as the college presented a check for $2,500 to the Mission Hope Cancer Center, which is operated by the Marian Regional Medical Center and provides services to Northern Santa Barbara County residents who are battling cancer. The college expects to donate even more money to Mission Hope from ticket, commemorative t-shirt and snack bar sales generated on Wednesday. The fundraising was all part of the college's annual Carney's Coaches vs. Cancer event, which was dedicated three years ago to women's basketball assistant coach Larry Carney, a four-time cancer survivor who lost his mother, father, and brother to cancer.

The Bulldogs will look to get back on track Saturday, February 11, at Santa Barbara City College. Tip off will be at 7 p.m.  The Bulldogs beat the Vaqueros 71-50 last month behind 22 points from Lee-Hammer and 17 from Rosa. The Bulldogs and Vaqueros will enter Saturday's matchup tied for third in conference play at 3-4.