(Editor's note: MCC athletics release)
LUBBOCK, Texas -- The magical season of the Miles Community College women's basketball team came to a close Tuesday in Lubbock, Texas. The size and strength of the No. 2-seeded Trinity Valley Cardinals proved to be too much as TVCC put an end to the MCC Pioneers' season 72-55 in the Round of 16 at the NJCAA national tournament.
The Region XIII champion Pioneers won the school's first-ever national tournament game on Monday but could not overcome the size and quickness of Trinity Valley CC as the Cardinals forced 26 Pioneer turnovers compared to just 14 for the Cardinals. The nation's leading scorer, Rebekah Dallinger, reached her season average of 25 points and snagged seven rebounds, but it wasn't enough as TVCC advanced to the NJCAA quarterfinal round.
Forward Lili Long played her last game as a Pioneer before heading to Angelo State in Texas as she tallied 14 points and seven rebounds to end a spectacular two-year run. Fellow Sophomore Olyvia Pacheco finished with six points and seven rebounds in her final game. Freshman center Kate Tanner found early foul problems and never got in sync offensively but grabbed seven rebounds in the loss.
The Pioneers finished 24-2 on the season and will say goodbye to sophomores Long, Pacheco and Lidia Pintor.
