By Erin Leach |Staff Writer|
The women’s basketball team was unable to gain the needed extra points to bring home wins this past weekend.
The Coyotes took on the Sonoma State Seawolves on Friday, Jan. 25 and lost 50-53.
The teams went back and forth Friday night. Fans were excited when after the half, the Coyotes picked up their game to gain a 41-34 lead, but the team was unable to power through the remainder of the game.
“Often, it is how we pick ourselves up after a defeat or setback that determines our success,” said head coach Kevin Becker.
The following night, the team suffered another defeat at the hands of the San Francisco State Gators, a 42-52 loss.
Teammates Eliza Dy and Jaslyn Cosey continued to be a force to be reckoned with as they took the lead in points scored for the Yotes on Friday night. Dy lead with 20 total points and Cosey followed behind with 13 points.
During Saturday night’s game Dy stood out with 11 total points which included three three-pointers.
“We have been playing solid basketball, but every game we have a 5-8 minute lapse, which has proven costly when you are losing by three points, five points, etc.,” said Becker.
This is true of the Coyote Women as they move through the season.
Half of the loses are within five points of each other.
“We have been holding opponents in the 50’s scoring, which allows you to be in close games,” said Becker.
“We are averaging 11 shots more per game than our opponents, and only losing by a couple of points, we just need a few more baskets or free throws to make the difference.”
The team is looking ahead to make sure that if they qualify for the CCAA tournament this season, they are ready.
Becker said, “We are working hard to make the CCAA Tournament. Our other big weakness is shooting.
We have had several games shooting between 25 and 30 percent, that will not get it done in the CCAA.”
Becker notes that the team had potential but lacks the focus to put wins on the board.
“The team’s big problem is the ability to focus and start the game strong,” said Becker.
Although the last couple of weeks have been rough for the team, they remain focused on improving their game for the rest of the season.
“We take care of the basketball extremely well. This is a very unselfish team but we just need to shoot the ball better, and individuals need to be more consistent and productive,” said Becker.
Becker seems to keep the team motivated and driven for a successful season.
“The team talks about motivation, but they hear from me that they need to be self-motivated to succeed on the court and in life,” said Becker.
As the team develops and remains positive, they face some of their toughest competitors this month.
The Coyotes will take on CSU Chico on Feb. 15 and CSU Monterey Bay on Feb. 22. The last time the teams faced off both games resulted in a close loss for the Coyotes, however Becker remains upbeat.
“I really enjoy working with this team. It is easy to be motivated and guide them as we work together to find a way to win,” said Becker.
Fans can only hope that Becker’s enthusiasm can carry the team to victory this weekend.
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