The Dixie Sun

Issue date: 11/16/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Adam Metcalf From Left: Junior Guard Keeshya Cox, an integrated studies major from Kansas City, Missouri displays her tough defense against sophomore guard Courtney Spawn, a general education major from Mesquite, Nevada. The Red Storms home opener is against the Pittsburg state University as part of the thanksgiving tournament, on Nov. 27th

The women's basketball team opened the season losing two exhibition games to Southern Utah University and Weber State University as it prepared for its tournament in Colorado.

The Dixie State College Red Storm dropped the first exhibition game to SUU losing 74-51.

"We take those exhibition games seriously," head coach Angela Kristensen said. "Especially playing Southern Utah. We have a lot of kids from Utah and the area so it's always intense that way."

Sophomore guard Courtney Spawn led the team in scoring with 14 points. She shot four for eight from three-point range.

"Every time your teammates can find you open, you want to pay them back and make the open shots," said Spawn, a general education major from Mesquite, Nev. "With all their efforts it's the least you can do."

The Red Storm kept up with the Thunderbirds for the first half as they went into halftime trailing 37-27.

"The first half I thought we played pretty decent," Kristensen said. "The second half the wheels kind of fell off. We didn't get much accomplished, but I was pleased with the first half."

From 45 seconds remaining in the first half until the 16:33 mark in the second half, SUU went on a 12-0 run. Sophomore guard Shanae Vaifanua broke the DSC scoring drought with a made free throw at the 15:56 mark. The first-made basket of the second half for DSC came from junior forward Na'Chelle Chambers at the 13:30 mark to make the score to cut the SUU lead to 49-30. The two teams traded baskets for the remainder of the game.

Kristensen said boxing out to get rebounds would be a key for DSC moving forward.

Spawn said: "First game of the season you're going to have your rough patches. We have a game under our belt so I think Weber State will be a better test for us."

The game in Ogden on Friday proved to be better for the Red Storm as the team just fell short to the NCAA Division I Wildcats, 68-61.

The upset-minded Red Storm had a 31-24 lead at one point, but could not hold onto it as WSU tied the game at halftime.

The Wildcats took the lead early in the second half, and would not relinquish it. The Red Storm managed to comeback to trail only by three with one minute left, but the Wildcats made their free throws to win the game.

The exhibition games are over for the team as the season officially begins Friday in Durango, Colo.

Fort Lewis College will be hosting the two-day tournament, and that is the school DSC will play first. The Red Storm finish the tournament against Western State College of Colorado Saturday.

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