The Tompkins Cortland Community College women's basketball team hosted the 9th-ranked team in the nation Saturday. The Panthers and Onondaga Community College played evenly through much of the game, but the visiting Lazers used a big second quarter to pull away en route to a 76-57 win. The loss snaps a four-game winning streak and drops Tompkins Cortland to 8-6 overall and 2-3 in the Mid-State Athletics Conference. Onondaga is 16-3 overall and 4-0 in the MSAC.
The score was tied four times in the first quarter, with the teams trading the lead twice before ending with Onondaga holding a 19-16 lead. The second quarter saw the Lazers outscore the Panthers 25-17 to stretch the lead to double figures, settling at 44-33 at the half. After the break, the Lazers again used a few spurts to stretch the lead, but for most of the half the teams were evenly matched.
MSAC Player of the Week Jaida Washington (Elmira/Elmira H.S.) had another monster game, finishing with 22 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 blocks. MacKenzie Kenyon (Ovid/South Seneca H.S.) scored 16 points to go with 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. Taylor Day (Brooktondale/Ithaca H.S.) added 11 points, 3 assists, and 3 steals.
The Panthers play at Columbia-Greene Community College Sunday.