Basketball Recap: Noelle Coyne Key Part of a Team Effort in Crusaders Win

There's no place like home for Cardinal Newman, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Wednesday. They came out on top against the Santaluces Chiefs by a score of 44-32 on Friday. That result was just more of the same for these two, as the Crusaders also won the last time the pair played back in January.

Cardinal Newman's win was the result of several impressive offensive performances. One of the most notable came from Noelle Coyne, who dropped a double-double on 23 points and ten rebounds. Coyne is also on a roll when it comes to steals, as she's now grabbed two or more in the last five games she's played. Another player making a difference was Ava Castro, who posted two points in addition to 26 rebounds, six steals, and three blocks.

Cardinal Newman smashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 28 offensive boards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now pulled down at least 16 offensive boards in six consecutive matches.

Santaluces' loss shouldn't obscure the performances of Dezinae Colina, who put up 15 points and three steals, and Lyiah Gaitor, who had seven points along with ten rebounds and three blocks. What's more, Gaitor also racked up two assists, the most she's had since back in November of 2023.

Cardinal Newman is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five contests, which provided a nice bump to their 5-4 record this season. Those victories came thanks to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 57.0 points per game. As for Santaluces, their defeat ended a four-game streak of away wins and brought them to 5-4.

Cardinal Newman will have some time to savor their win since their next game is a little ways off: they'll take on Saint Andrew's at 4:30 p.m. on January 3, 2025. As for Santaluces, they didn't take long to hit the court again: they've already played their next game, a 34-29 victory against Stoneman Douglas on the 16th.