February 1 , 2005

Sports

Kayli Kauzlarich (42) sends a hook-shot over a Yavapai defender in the 78-69 MCC loss. Mesa plays Feb. 9 at home against Glendale.

Photos by Rebecca Straughmatt Mesa Legend

Women
T-birds
lose to Yavapai

Benjamin Buettner
Mesa Legend

The lady Thunderbirds suffered a 78-69 loss to Yavapai Community College after coming off a stretch of road games. Three of Mesa’s previous four games were on the road and Mesa also won three of those four contests.
Mesa started off winning a very important game at Phoenix College 81-74. Then the T-birds beat Scottsdale Community College at home, completing a week in which Ashton LeSueur was named National Junior College Athletic Association Division II Player of the Week. LeSueur had 30 points in two games that week hitting all of her three point attempts.
Mesa went on to split the next two road games, losing to third ranked Arizona Community College Athletic Association Division I Cochise Community College, then producing a win against Pima Community College.
Yavapai CC ranked second in ACCAC Division I coming into the game against MCC while the Thunderbirds were tied for fourth overall in the ACCAC despite being a Division II ACCAC school.
Division II rival Phoenix College was tied for first going into their Jan. 26 games. As Mesa fell, Phoenix built a one game lead in the division by beating South Mountain Community College by 12 points.
Mesa’s loss improved Yavapai to 10-1 while dropping Mesa to 10-9. Yavapai surprisingly beat MCC with their attempts from beyond the three point line. Yavapai, coming into the game, was shooting 27 percent from the three point line, but managed to shoot 46 percent against the T-birds.
Mesa head coach Robin Schamber was satisfied with the team’s effort. “They (her team) did what we asked them to do (against Yavapai) but we had too many unforced turnovers,” said Schamber.
Ashley Jackman had a notable night for the Thunderbirds with 15 points and 7/11 in field goals. Jackman also added eight rebounds for Mesa. Brandi Steinke struggled against the Rough Riders hitting only 5/18 field goals, even though she averages above 50 percent on the year. The Thunderbirds did manage 69 points against the top ranked defense in the ACCAC in Yavapai who limit opponents to 51.7 points a game on average.
The distinction of being a Division II ACCAC school will likely put Mesa among the top four Division II schools in the ACCAC at the end of the season. Those four teams will hold a playoff for a spot at Nationals at Phoenix College March 16-20.