Wednesday, January 14, 2009 was not a good day for Santa Monica College basketball. The Lady Corsairs were flat the whole night. They did not look like the team that beat Long Beach 75-50 or Los Angeles Valley College by 62 to 55 the previous two weeks. The loss to the Glendale Community College Vaqueros was a true heart-breaker.

Santa Monica gets the first possession of the game against the Glendale Fighting Owl's. Ewnique Robinson gets the ball and passes to Karlia Batalla who passes to Chantel Diaz. Diaz takes the shot and scores two points.

Then Glendale scores seven unanswered points.

It's the Corsair's ball again, and again they throw it away. Then Glendale inbounds the ball but Batalla steals and passes to Diaz who makes the shot. Score is now seven to four, Glendale. The rest of the first half continued with Glendale making shots, getting rebounds, and stealing; and with Santa Monica making the rebounds, both offensive and defensive, but failing to sink the basket at critical points in the game.

The second half looked a lot like the first half even though the Corsairs did mount a come-back and closed the gap several times. With 5:15 left to go in the game the score was 58-49 Glendale. Diaz goes for a lay up and draws the fowl. She makes both free throws and the score is now 58-51, taking only five seconds off the clock. Glendale responds with a long two pointer. The Corsairs respond with a three-pointer making the score 60-54. This was the come-back; we all thought.

On the next possession the Corsairs were fowled and made one of the two free-throws. Score is now 60-55. With 3:59 left, the Owl's are fowled and make both free-throws; score 62-55. On the next Corsair possession, Jewell Morris gets the pass, goes for the lay-up and sinks it.

Glendale responds with a two-pointer.

Now with 3:24 in the game, the score is 64-57. Corsairs get the ball, draws the fowl and makes both free-throws. Score 64-59, Glendale, with 3:05 to go in the game. Glendale's ball; they take it down the court, virtually untouched, take a shot, miss it, get the rebound, take a three point shot – make it: Glendale is up 67-59 with 2:41 left in the game.

There is still time for a come-back. Corsairs score two points. On Glendale's next possession they eat up as much of the clock as possible when the Corsairs steal, and on a fast break miss the first shot, get the rebound, then score three! Score is now 67-64 with 2:10 left in the game.

It's Glendale's ball, again trying to eat clock, take the shot and miss. It is now SMC's ball and on a fast break Glendale comes from behind, knocks the ball away and steals. After passing it several times, Glendale scores three.

Once again the Corsairs turn the ball over on the next possession. and once again Glendale draws a fowl and gets both free-throws. With six seconds left in the game, Glendale leads 72-64. The Corsairs make a beautiful mid-court shot for three points, but it wasn't enough.

Final score was 72-67.

The Corsairs are now 1-1 in the Western State Conference Southern Division with the 72-67 loss. Glendale is 2-1.

The Lady Corsairs' next game will be at Santa Monica Pavilion on Saturday, January 17, 2009 where they will host the Citrus College Fighting Owls. Tickets are $5 adults and teens 13 and older, $3 for senior citizens 55 and older and youth ages 3 to 12. Free for SMC students with ID and children under 3. Call (310) 434-4311 or (310) 434-4310.

The Corsair's complete basketball schedule is on the SMC website at http://www.smc.edu/womens_basketball/schedule.htm