WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: 39TH COLLEEN RILEY TOURNEY

The Hornets hosted the 39th Colleen Riley Tournament during the holiday break (December 27-29).

In game one, Fullerton posted their highest scoring total of the season in a 93-45 win over San Diego Mesa. FC set the tone in the early minutes of the first quarter taking a 13-4 lead and continued to pile on the points for the next three quarters. Four players scored in double-digits in Deziree McGee (24), Lani Maehara (23), Melody Thomsen (22), and Lillian Ballestro (12). Thomsen had an incredible 18 rebounds and Tangikina Tauaika added 13.

In the second game on Thursday, the Hornets were beaten by Cerritos College 80-63. The first minutes of the game were all Hornets as they went on a 7-0 run, but the Falcons hit back going on a 27-7 run to go up 27-14 by the end of the first quarter. Cerritos had too much firepower taking their largest lead of 26 in the third quarter while cruising on for the win. Melody Thomsen scored a team-high 15 points for the Hornets and brought down 15 rebounds for another double-double.

In the Third Place game against Long Beach City College on Friday, the Hornets fell 76-57. Fullerton kept the game close in the first half (38-34), but in the last five minutes of the third quarter the Vikings began to separate themselves going on a 9-1 run (52-38). With the score 54-42 to begin the fourth quarter, Long Beach went on to take their largest lead of 19 with 31 seconds left in the game (76-57). Once again, FC's Thomsen had a solid game scoring 15 points with 8 rebounds, but the Hornet's leading scorer was Kristen Sheriff who came off the bench to put up 23 points with 6 rebounds.

Colleen Riley Holiday Tournament Champs – Mount San Antonio College

Runner-up - Cerritos College

Third Place – Long Beach City College

Consolation Champs – Santa Monica College

All-Tournament Team

MVP Jonnae Vermillion – Mt. San Antonio

Dominique McLaughlin – Mt. San Antonio

Tiana Douglas – Mt. San Antonio

Serena Rendon – Cerritos

Jesenia Rendon – Cerritos

Janay Wellington – Long Beach City

Melody Thomsen - Fullerton

Jessica Melamed - Santa Monica

Luna Rivera - Santa Monica

Shannon Chau - Skyline

Diana Kohanzad - LA Pierce

Breanna Archie - San Diego Mesa

Up Next: The Hornets (4-8 overall) will begin Orange Empire Conference-play on Wednesday, January 3rd at Santa Ana College. Tip-off is at 7:00 pm.

Click here to view the BRACKET.

*Photo by Matt Brown

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