The Santa Maria Saints suffered their biggest defeat yet this season on Friday. They were outmatched by Mission College Prep on the road and fell 56-17. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest points Santa Maria has scored all season.
When it comes to explaining why Santa Maria lost, one person who can't be blamed is Nevaeh Madrigal. Despite the final result, she scored 11 points along with two steals.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Santa Maria struggled to work together and finished the game with only an assist. They were crushed by their opponents in that department as Mission College Prep posted 16 assists.
Mission College Prep's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Lillie Parish led the charge by scoring nine points along with seven rebounds and five steals. Another player making a difference was Gwen Nelson, who dropped a double-double on 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Santa Maria has been struggling recently, as they've lost four of their last five matches, which put a noticeable dent in their 14-8 record this season. As for Mission College Prep, they pushed their record up to 10-7 with that win, which was their third straight at home.
Santa Maria will take on Morro Bay at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Morro Bay presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Santa Maria in California (Morro Bay is ranked 210th, while Santa Maria is ranked 462nd). As for Mission College Prep, they will head out on the road to challenge Paso Robles at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Paso Robles will be looking to extend their current three-game winning streak.
