The Exeter Monarchs typically have all the answers at home, but on Thursday the Santa Maria Saints proved too difficult a challenge. They came out on top against the Monarchs by a score of 45-32. The victory was nothing new for Santa Maria as they're now sitting on three straight.
Santa Maria's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Alyssa Reyes, who scored 14 points along with eight steals. Those eight steals set a new season-high mark for her. Another player making a difference was Nevaeh Madrigal , who scored nine points along with eight steals and six rebounds.
Several Monarchs players turned in solid performances, despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was Brooklyn Cooper, who scored three points along with three blocks. Georgia Lockett was another key contributor, scoring three points along with ten rebounds.
Santa Maria's win was their fifth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 13-4. Those good results were due in large part to their offensive dominance across that stretch, as they averaged 53.0 points per game. As for Exeter, their defeat ended an eight-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 13-5.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Santa Maria's road trip will continue as they head out to face Righetti at 5:00 p.m. on January 5th. Righetti presents a significant challenge as they come into the match much higher ranked than Santa Maria in California (Righetti is ranked 194th, while Santa Maria is ranked 393rd). As for Exeter, they will head out on the road to face off against Hanford West at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Hanford West will be looking to extend their current three-game winning streak.
