The La Junta Tigers's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Thursday after their sixth straight loss. They fell to Ellicott 29-24. La Junta has not had much luck with the Thunderhawks recently, as the team's come up short the last four times they've met.
Despite the defeat, La Junta had strong showings from Raquel Rodriguez, who scored six points along with nine rebounds and three steals, and Isabelle Aragon, who scored nine points along with eight rebounds and two blocks. Aragon is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as she's now pulled down eight or more in the last three games she's played.
Even though they lost, La Junta smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 13 offensive rebounds. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Ellicott only pulled down four offensive rebounds.
Ellicott got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Kassiah Ducworth out in front who scored ten points along with seven rebounds and four steals. Ducworth is crushing the steal category: she's posted at least two every time she's taken the court this season. Another player making a difference was Jacey Lujan, who scored ten points along with two steals.
La Junta dropped their record down to 1-13 with that loss, which was their fifth straight at home. As for Ellicott, they have been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four contests, which provided a nice bump to their 6-8 record this season.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. La Junta will take on the Spartans at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. Salida presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than the Tigers in Colorado (the Spartans are ranked 143rd, while the Tigers are ranked 297th). As for Ellicott, they will head out on the road to challenge the Huskies at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Florence has now lost eight straight, and the team is hunting for their first win since December 14.
