Box Score In the first game of their 2023-2024 season, Embry-Riddle Women's Basketball fell to the Arizona Christian Firestorm in Glendale at the ACU Events Center.
ERAU scored first as Micaela Hidalgo (Greeley, Colo) made a jumper to score the first points of the season as the Eagles went up 2-0. Susie Reynoso (Escondido, Calif.) was fouled and made one of two free throws as Embry-Riddle had a three point advantage early on. After ACU got on the board, ERAU took the ball right down the court as Reynoso assisted a Zakiirah King (Chandler, Ariz.) jump shot to keep the lead at 3 points for the Eagles with 8:02 left in the quarter. Neither team could get a basketball to fall until the Firestorm made two free throws with 6:23 on the clock as ERAU led 7-6. Another minute ran off the clock as each team missed chances before Arizona Christian made one free throw to tie the game at 7-7. The Firestorm took their first lead as they made a jump shot with 4:11 to go in the quarter and then they made two more free throws as the score was 7-11. Imani Alegria (Goodyear, Ariz.) ended the Embry-Riddle scoring drought with 1:28 on the clock and at the end of the first quarter ACU led 11-9.
At the beginning of the second quarter, Liz Behan (St. Peters, MO.) started with a blocked shot and then finished a jump shot on the other end to tie the score 11-11. Right after though, Arizona Christian made another jump shot and then sunk two more free throws with 8:18 left before halftime. Alyssa Alvarez put ACU up by five as she made one of two free throws just before King made a basket for ERAU. With the Firestorm ahead 18-13, King went to the line and sunk her first two free throws of the night to bring the Eagles back within three point. Arizona Christian got two points back before Aryana Gonzales (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) scored steal and a layup with 4:26 left in the quarter. At the half, Embry-Riddle was only down one as the score was 25-26 as Mehgan Strickler (Glendale, Ariz.) made a free throw, Reynoso added a layup, Hidalgo a jump shot and Gonzales a three pointer to close out the first half scoring for ERAU.
In the second half, ACU scored the first basket, but Reynoso made another lay up to keep the game close. The teams went back and forth scoring points and Embry-Riddle took a 33-32 lead on a Strickler three pointer. The score was tied at 35-35 before Kate McBride (Atlanta, Ga.) made a basket to put the Eagles back ahead by two. The Firestorm made three free throws to close out the third quarter as they went back up by one point with the score 43-42.
ACU's defense came out strong to start the 4th quarter as Embry-Riddle didn't score until there was only 6:22 left on the clock as King made a basket to bring the Eagles within six at 44-50. Arizona Christian made a three pointer to take a nine point lead and the ERAU just couldn't quite find a rhythm as ACU went on to win the game 69-55.
Hidalgo led the Eagles as she scored 12 points going 6-6 in 28 minutes of play. Defensively Gonzales had four steals and Behan had three blocks to lead Embry-Riddle.
ERAU plays again next on November 8th as they take on the Firestorm again, this time in Prescott at the Activity Center on campus. Tip-off is scheduled for 5:30pm.
