Bulldogs Fall to Canyons 84-69 in Conference Battle

Three Bulldogs scored 13 or more points, but the Allan Hancock College women's basketball team's search for a third-straight Western State Conference win ended in an 84-69 loss to College of the Canyons on Wednesday night in Joe White Memorial Gymnasium.

Hancock dropped to 2-4 in WSC action and 12-9 overall. Canyons evened its league mark at 3-3 and improved to 9-12 on the year.

Ali Rodriguez led the Bulldogs with 23 points, while Emma Weinreich added 17 points and four steals. Justine Roland recorded a double-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and three steals. Davina J. Valerio added 9 points for Hancock, which played without injured center Veronica Sua. To watch highlights of the game, click here.

The Cougars capitalized on several second and third opportunities on the offensive-side of the ball. They pulled down 18 offensive rebounds. Leiona Mathews led Canyons with 26 points and 22 rebounds. She pulled down eight offensive rebounds. Shawn Kolani was three for six from 3-point range and finished with 19 points. Jordan Oster made four of her six shots from beyond-the-arc and added 16 points.

The Bulldogs fell behind by 35-20 with 2:25 to play in the first half, but responded with a 12-0 run to climb to within 35-32 at intermission.  Rodriguez, a freshman from Pioneer Valley High School, scored 15 points in the first half. 

Weinreich, a sophomore from Arroyo Grande High School, sank two free throws to bring Hancock to within 55-54 with 11:13 to go in the game. However, Canyons responded with an 18-2 run over the next five minutes to take control of the game. 

Hancock made 42.3 percent of its 52 shots from the floor and went 22 for 26 (84.6 percent) from the free throw line.  Rodriguez was 7 for 15 from the floor and a perfect 7 for 7 from the charity stripe. Weinreich was 7 for 16 from the field and 3 for 4 from the line. 

Canyons shot 40.9 percent (27-66) from the field, 37.5 percent (9-24) from long distance and 87.5 percent (21-24) from the free throw line.  The Cougars outrebounded the Bulldogs 37-28.

Hancock returns to action on Saturday, Feb.1, at 3 p.m. when it opens the second half of conference play against Moorpark.