Cedarville loses a close game to the wire against Findlay

by Tayler Sharp

The energy in Callan Athletic Center was high as fans packed the stands to watch the Lady Jackets face off against Findlay’s Oilers. The intense and riveting matchup ended with Cedarville losing to Findlay 60-57. 

In the final minute of the game, Findlay was leading 55-54, and it was unknown who would pull out with the win. Unfortunately for Cedarville, Findlay took over and won the game. 

From the tipoff, Cedarville was ready to compete. The first quarter ended with the Jackets down 13-8, but they took the lead 22-21 going into the half. Throughout the entire game, the score margin never reached double digits. 

This was the third game in a row that Cedarville has lost by less than 10 points. The tight games seem to be where the Lady Jackets struggle to pull out a win. 

“You feel the pressure, you feel the momentum, you just want to do so good, you just want this or this or this to happen,” head coach Addy Miller said. “And I just feel like that can really tense you up, and nobody plays well tight, right? You don’t hit shots, you don’t think as clearly.”

Miller and the team are ready to make the proper adjustments to improve how they react in those high-pressure situations. 

“So it’s really something that we’ve been harping up on—trying to get them in uncomfortable situations at practice and off the floor to really make them get in those tense and tight moments that they’re uncomfortable with, so they get used to it,” Miller said. “They have got to get used to being uncomfortable.” 

Though the outcome did not do the Lady Jackets justice, there were many individual successes that took place throughout the course of the game. 

Emma Kay Martin achieved a double-double with 11 points and a career-high 13 rebounds. Along with Ella Sellars, who was the lead scorer of the game with 14 points and went 4-4 in free throws. 

Though the team’s outcomes haven’t reflected it, the Lady Jackets have been doing nothing but learning, improving and growing. Cedarville is ready to take today’s gameplay into the rest of the season, first travelling to Ohio Dominican on Thursday.

Tayler Sharp is a journalism major and writer and photographer for Cedars. Tayler loves playing golf, reading a good book or doing anything outdoors.