Even though the Temecula Valley Golden Bears have not done well against the Murrieta Mesa Rams recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. Temecula Valley came out on top in a nail-biter against Murrieta Mesa and snuck past 38-35. Given Temecula Valley's advantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 330th, while Murrieta Mesa is ranked 665th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Karlee Wellonen was the offensive standout of the match as she scored 13 points along with nine rebounds and three steals. She hasn't dropped below eight rebounds for three straight games. Another player making a difference was Audrey Pollack, who scored six points along with seven rebounds.
Several Rams players turned in solid performances, despite ultimately coming up short. Perhaps the best among those players was LaKaila Trimble, who scored nine points along with ten rebounds and three blocks. Trimble is on a roll when it comes to blocks, as she's now posted two or more in the last 12 games she's played. Miranda Moore was another key contributor, scoring three points along with 13 rebounds.
Temecula Valley is on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last nine contests, which provided a nice bump to their 12-6 record this season. As for Murrieta Mesa, they are on a four-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 7-13.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Temecula Valley will be staying on the road on Friday to face off against Great Oak at 5:30 p.m. on January 12th. Great Oak knows how to get points on the board -- the squad has finished with flashy point totals in its past four matchups -- so hopefully Temecula Valley likes a good challenge. As for Murrieta Mesa, they will head out on the road to face off against Vista Murrieta at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Vista Murrieta is coming into the game on a three-game losing streak.
