The Steamboat Springs Sailors scored the most points they've had all season to find success on Saturday. They snuck past Rifle with a 40-34 victory. The victory was just what Steamboat Springs needed coming off of a 54-18 defeat in their prior matchup.
Hailey Bender was the offensive standout of the game as she scored 18 points along with nine rebounds. That's the first time this season that she scored 15 or more points. Another player making a difference was Tyler King, who scored six points.
Steamboat Springs' win ended a eight-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 3-8. As for Rifle, they have not been sharp recently, as they've lost four of their last five contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 4-10 record this season.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Steamboat Springs will take on Basalt at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Basalt has now lost eight straight, and the team is hunting for their first win since December 9. As for Rifle, Rifle and Delta will face off at 4:30 p.m. on January 16th without much rest after finishing up games yesterday. Delta presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Rifle in Colorado (Delta is ranked 77th, while Rifle is ranked 252nd).
