MILLIGAN, Tenn.— The Montreat College women's basketball team traveled to Milligan University to take on the Buffaloes in an Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) matchup Wednesday evening. The Cavaliers ultimately fell to the Buffs, 98-57, and dropped to 7-14 (5-10 AAC) on the year, while Milligan improved to 14-7 (13-1 AAC).
Montreat opened the first quarter with a focus on offensive rebounds, collecting three early on, which led to second-chance opportunities. The Cavs struggled to cash in on some of their additional looks, though, hitting four of their initial 20 shot attempts. Sarah Williams connected on a jumper to tie the score early at 2-2, but scoring was sporadic.
As the frame progressed, the Buffs gained momentum with a series of successful plays in the paint, extending their lead to as many as eight points midway through the period (10-2). Montreat managed to respond with a layup from Tresalyn Roberts, assisted by Rymiah Sanders, narrowing the gap slightly. However, Milligan maintained the edge, finishing the quarter ahead, 15-8.
The visitors began the second frame striving to close the gap, with Trinety Dajuste connecting on a 3-pointer just over two minutes in. Despite their efforts, including a layup by Sanders at the 2:21 mark, the Cavaliers faced defensive challenges. Milligan capitalized on fast breaks and effective shooting, peaking with a 17-point lead with 90 seconds to go in the half (35-18). Sanders managed a late layup late in the period, but the quarter ended with the hosts leading 35-20.
Montreat fought to gain momentum in the third quarter against Milligan, but the home team capitalized on turnover opportunities and converted them into points. Despite a series of baskets from Se'Nai Camper and Ella Kate Walraven, the Cavs efforts were countered by the Buffaloes' strong shooting and defensive pressure.
Milligan extended its lead with efficient scoring in the paint and from the free-throw line, widening the gap. The Cavs worked to close the quarter with a late layup from Dajuste, but the frame ended with the Buffs on top, 69-34.
In the fourth quarter, Montreat surged with an early layup from Roberts, assisted by Sanders, to cut into the deficit. The squad capitalized on inside scoring, netting 12 points in the paint. Despite the away side's efforts, Milligan maintained the advantage with effective shooting, including key layups and a late 3-pointer to extend the lead (86-42).
Montreat's defensive plays included a block by Dajuste, but a series of turnovers limited further scoring opportunities. The team managed to keep pace with free throws from Alyssa Keener and Walraven, adding points down the stretch. Roberts tacked on a bucket in the closing seconds, showcasing the Cavaliers' desire to battle across the full 40 minutes. Milligan stood tall, though, shutting the visitors down en route to a 98-57 league triumph.
For the night, Montreat shot 32.4 percent overall (24-74 FG), 7.7 percent from three (2-26 3-pt FG) and 70.0 percent from the free-throw line (7-10 FT). Despite starting slowly in the first quarter, Milligan ended up shooting 48.0 percent from the field (36-75 FG), 23.8 percent from beyond the arc (5-21 3-pt FG) and 80.8 percent at the charity stripe (21-26 FT). Additionally, the hosts held the edge in rebounds (56-36), assists (26-13), steals (10-2), turnovers (16-12), points off turnovers (25-16) and points in the paint (56-36).
Sanders scored a team-high 14 points, hitting seven shots while dishing out three assists. Roberts matched her Cavalier career-best scoring output with 12 points, sinking 6-of-9 shots, and she also collected six rebounds. Dajuste contributed with a season-high eight points and a trio of rebounds.
The Cavaliers will look to bounce back against the Bears of Truett McConnell University on Saturday, Jan. 31. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. at McAlister Gymnasium in Montreat, N.C.
