Valley Glen, Calif. – The Mt. SAC Women's Basketball Team competed in the LA Valley Tournament from December 12-14 at Los Angeles Valley College. With two wins and one loss, the Mounties improved to a 10-3 record and are ranked No. 2 in the latest California Community College Women's Basketball Coaches Association poll (as of December 9). College of the Sequoias holds the top spot, while Orange Coast College is ranked No. 3.

The tournament began with a hard-fought 44-42 loss to No. 11 Cypress College (9-4) on Thursday, marking the Mounties' second consecutive close defeat after falling to College of the Sequoias by one point the previous weekend. Offensive struggles were the key factor for Mt. SAC, as they shot just 25.8% from the field (16-62), went 0-for-15 from beyond the arc, and hit only 58.8% of their free throws (10-17). Despite dominating the boards with 51 rebounds compared to Cypress's 36, the Mounties tallied 27 turnovers while managing just 11 steals and three blocks. Daisia Mitchell led all scorers with 14 points, followed by Taliyah McFerson with 11 and Naomi Acuna with 10. Cypress's Chelsea Caldera led her team with nine points.

The Mounties bounced back on Friday with a commanding 80-56 victory over No. 15 San Francisco (6-4). They significantly improved their shooting, hitting 44.4% from the field (32-72), 21.4% from three-point range (3-14), and 72.2% from the free-throw line (13-18). Mt. SAC pulled down 48 rebounds, recorded 10 steals, and blocked three shots to secure the win. San Francisco's To'shia Reynolds led all scorers with 21 points, while McFerson paced the Mounties with 20 points and seven rebounds. Ryann Riddle added 13 points, while Mitchell, Aanisah Moncrief, and Acuna each contributed 10.

The team closed out the tournament with a strong 78-57 victory over No. 10 San Diego Mesa (9-3) on Saturday. McFerson delivered a standout performance, finishing with a game-high 22 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Mitchell and Alana Diaz each scored 14 points, with Diaz also pulling down 11 rebounds. The Mounties shot an impressive 50.7% from the field (34-67), 80% from the free-throw line (8-10), and 40% from three-point range (2-5). Despite being outrebounded by Mesa (40-35), Mt. SAC excelled defensively with 17 steals and capitalized on Mesa's 23 turnovers.

The Mounties will compete in the Moorpark Tournament from December 19-21 at Moorpark College. They are set to face No. 8 San Joaquin Delta on Thursday at 1:00 PM, No. 16 Fresno City College on Friday at 1:00 PM, and Chabot on Saturday at 11:00 AM. Their next home game is scheduled for Saturday, January 4, at 5:00 PM against Palomar.

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For additional information, please contact the Mt. SAC Sports Information Office at 909.274.4630.