Hancock Women Conquer Cuesta 63-46 on Sophomore Night, Sweep Season Series with Cougars

On an evening dedicated to the Bulldogs' three sophomores, a quartet of freshmen helped to ensure a victory for the Allan Hancock College women's basketball team. The Bulldogs pulled away in the second half to defeat Cuesta 63-46 Wednesday in the final home game of the season. The Bulldogs improved to 4-5 in Western State Conference play and 15-10 overall. Cuesta fell to 1-8 in league and 12-15 overall. The Bulldogs won all three matchups with the Cougars this season and have won their last five meetings.

Freshman Karly Beyers led the Bulldogs with 16 points. She went 4-for-13 form the field overall, and 3-for-8 from 3-point range. The Pioneer Valley High School graduate also made 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. Grace Rosa added 15 points and eight rebounds. She made 5-of-11 from the floor and 5-of-8 from the line.  Freshman guard Taylor Lee-Hammer added 12 points by hitting 2-of-5 from 3-point range and 4-of-9 overall. Lee-Hammer added three steals and four rebounds. Freshman forward Naomi Leopardi contributed eight points, six rebounds, six assists, and three steals.

Sophomore Destinee Garcia added 12 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and two steals in her final home game. Garcia, Ne'Chelle Martinez, and Syenna Ramirez, all sophomores, were saluted prior to the start of their final home game of their Hancock careers. Ramirez suffered a season-ending injury last week. Martine played nine minutes and grabbed one rebound and had one assists.  

Garcia and Leopardi had four points each in the first quarter to carry the Bulldogs to a 14-7 edge after the first 10 minutes. Rosa scored eight points in the second quarter to help the Bulldogs carry a 28-22 lead into halftime.

Beyers buried two 3-pointers on her way to nine points in the third quarter to help the Bulldogs outscore the Cougars 21-14 in the third quarter. Carrying a 49-36 lead into the fourth quarter, Hancock sealed it down the stretch to snap a three-game skid.

Overall, Hancock shot 45 percent from the field, and 33 percent from long range. The Cougars hit 36 percent of their shots, and just 1-of-11 from 3-point range, and 5-of-14 from the line. The Bulldogs held a 31-27 edge in rebounds and a 16-8 advantage in assists.

The Bulldogs will finish the season Saturday at 3 p.m. at Oxnard. Hancock routed the Condors 71-30 last month behind 16 points from Beyers, 12 from Lee-Hammer, and near double-doubles from Rosa and Leopardi.