The Orange Panthers's recent rough patch got a bit rougher on Tuesday after their sixth straight loss. They were just a bucket shy of victory and fell 33-32 to Costa Mesa. Orange was given a dose of their own medicine in this game as Costa Mesa apparently hadn't forgotten their loss the last time these teams played back in February of 2023.
Costa Mesa found their leader in underclassman Emi Kamikihara, who scored 17 points. That makes it three consecutive games in which Kamikihara has scored at least 25% of Costa Mesa's points. Mya Martinez was another key contributor, scoring eight points.
Orange has traveled a rocky road recently, as they've lost eight of their last ten matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 9-10 record this season. As for Costa Mesa, their victory ended a ten-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 5-13.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Orange will take on Saddleback at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Saddleback comes in on a streak of failing to score more than 25 points in their last 16 games, a trend the team is of course eager to reverse. As for Costa Mesa, they will look to defend their home court on Thursday against St. Margaret's at 5:30 p.m. St. Margaret's will be looking to extend their current three-game winning streak.
