The City College Women’s basketball team defeated Allan Hancock College 60-55 in their last home game of the season Tuesday night, giving coach Sandrine Krul her 250th career victory.
Meagan Moore, Aaliyah Pauling, Lei Talaro, Maaria Jaakkola, Jennae Mayberry, and Michaela Berber, the Vaqueros’ six sophomores, were honored before their last game in the Sports Pavilion for “Sophomore Night.” Their names were called out as they crossed the court before the opening tip.
A pair of these sophomores provided a majority of the team’s scoring, with Pauling posting 20 points on 50 percent shooting and Moore dropping 16 points on 45 percent shooting.
Pauling added seven rebounds, two assists, and two steals to go with her 20 points.
Pauling got off to a hot start, scoring 10 of City College’s first 14 points in a tightly contested first quarter. She also made some important buckets, scoring in the shot clock’s final seconds multiple times throughout the game.
Moore sparked a run in the second quarter, making a layup to tie the game at 22 all before stealing the ball and scoring on the fastbreak to give the Vaqueros a lead they would never relinquish.
One of the highlights of the game came in the third quarter when Jennae Mayberry made a layup while taking a hard foul, and converted the free throw to give the team a 13-point lead.
After trailing by as many as 17 points, Allan Hancock brought the game to within four in the waning seconds with a strong fourth quarter. However, a missed three-pointer and two successful Maaria Jakkola free throws kept the game out of reach.
After the game Moore said that having a big night in her last game on the City College court was a great feeling.
“Giving Coach her 250th win in our last home game was a memorable moment,” she said.
Sandrine Krul called her notable win total an “important milestone,” and said that she was proud of the game her players played.
“When you play like a team everyone is happy,” Krul concluded.
The win broke a three game losing streak and improved the Vaqueros’ record to 15-11 on the season.
The team’s 3-6 conference record puts them in fourth place in the Western State Conference North Division, distancing them from Allan Hancock (in fifth at 2-7).
The team will play its next game at Oxnard College on Friday, February 22.