SANTA CRUZ, Calif. – Lewis & Clark College women's basketball opened up play in the UCSC December Classic against a new opponent on Thursday afternoon, dropping a 78-54 decision to Coe College of the American Rivers Conference.  
 
THE BASICS
 
Coe 78, Lewis & Clark 54
(Lewis & Clark 1-7, 0-2 NWC)
(Coe 10-2, 2-2 American Rivers)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Senior Jamison Richards scored a season-high 14 points, and sophomore Madelyn Sanchez added a career-high 11 points to lead the scoring for the Pioneers. Richards and Sanchez hit all six of Lewis & Clark's three-pointers, each hitting three during the game.
 
Charlotte Carroll (eight points) and Karli Mukai (six points) were third and fourth in scoring for the Pioneers. The seniors combined to shoot 6-for-10 from the free throw line, with Carroll hitting a team-leading four from the charity stripe.
 
Freshman Kaela Guidry was the remaining Pioneer to hit multiple baskets in the game, going a perfect 2-for-2 from the floor and making her only free throw attempt for five points. Playing the role of the sixth woman against the Kohawks, Guidry grabbed five rebounds with a blocked shot and a steal.
 
Ashley Young (senior), Tatiana Rebanal (sophomore), and Divinity Singleton (freshman) all had two points for Lewis & Clark.
 
The two teams traded baskets in the opening five minutes and played to an 8-8 tie at the first-quarter media timeout. Richards hit their first three of the game with 0:25 left in the quarter to take a 15-14 lead.
 
The Kohawks fought back in the second quarter to take either team's largest lead of the half, 30-23, at the 11:35 mark. Freshman Lauryn Frederickson (four points, six rebounds) made two free throws, and Singleton hit a layup in the last 82 seconds to close the gap to 30-27 at the half.
 
Senior Natalie Elstone recorded a steal to open the third quarter, then found Carroll down low to pull within one (30-29). Coe then went on a 25-5 run to take control of the game with a 55-34 lead. The Kohawks outscored the Pioneers 29-12 in the quarter.
 
Coe took their largest lead of the game, 72-43, with 7:30 left. Richards cut the lead to 20 with their final three-pointer at the 4:12 mark.
  
BY THE NUMBERS 

• Elstone and Richards led the team in assists with four each. Elstone added three steals and Richards had two.
• Sanchez was third on the team with four rebounds and added a blocked shot to go with her career best scoring.
• The Pioneers finished with 22 bench points and 22 points in the paint.  

WHO'S NEXT
 
Lewis & Clark takes on Hamilton College at 1:00 p.m. tomorrow to conclude their play in the UCSC December Classic.