Charlotte women’s basketball took on their in-state foe Elon Friday night in Halton Arena. Before the game even started, you could tell this was going to be an aggressive affair by the intensity of warm ups by both teams.
The 49ers came out at the beginning of the game with tremendous energy, being quick on the transitions and finishing at the basket. Unfortunately, the 49ers could not keep up the energy for the whole game, as Charlotte seemed to be overwhelmed by the physical play of Elon, losing the battle 67-54
After the first media timeout, Elon came out with a bang, scoring an unanswered six quick points to give the Phoenix an early lead. It was a struggle for Charlotte to finish in the first half, as they shot a “shameful” 32.4 percent according to Head Coach Cara Consuegra.
“The one thing we take pride in, in Charlotte, is that we get what we earn,” she added.
Charlotte may not have deserved a win tonight, but the whole night did not go as a failure, as sophomore Lefty Webster had an outstanding night. The athletic guard scored a team-high 17 points, snagged eight rebounds and three steals.
Lefty Webster led the 49ers with 17 points on Friday night. Photo by Ben Coon.
“I try to lead by example, I am that type of leader for this team, but if my teammates are down I will talk to them and tell them we still got time left to win,” Lefty explained after a second home loss in a row.
Whenever it seemed like Charlotte needed an extra boost to get things going, Lefty was there to not only get crucial steals, but she also converted them into points, helping Charlotte chop at the lead.
Coach expressed how Lefty will be crucial down the stretch, later on in the season, “Lefty is quickly turning into a dynamic player for us. That is she can effect the play on offense and defense, she does everything so well.”
Both Coach Consuegra and Lefty Webster expressed concern about how she needs to stay out of foul trouble in the first half for Charlotte to win games.
For Elon, it was Sam Coffer who put the team on her back, as she went 4-6 with 11 points in the first half. The game plan for the Phoenix out of the locker room was to get the ball to the hot hand, as Coffer had the first five shots for Elon, only hitting one. Coffer ended the game with a double-double, grabbing 11 rebounds and 16 points.
Charlotte ended the game going 1-11 from beyond the arc, showing how much of a struggle it was for the 49ers to connect. Elon, however, was allowed to score 10 three-pointers against the home team, being the main difference between the two teams.
It was a close game towards the end of the second half, as Charlotte only trailed by one point from an Alexis Alexander layup with 3:42 to go. Unfortunately this would be the last time Charlotte would score, as the Phoenix would go on a 12-0 run at the end, each basket serving as a dagger against a disappointing home team.
“Anyone can beat anyone, and that’s what makes this fun,” Coach Consuegra said.
All games for the 49ers this season have been close affairs, winning against Liberty by one and losing to NC State by seven.
The 49ers make a long trip to Riviera Maya, Mexico to play against Montana in the first round of the Triple Crown Cancun Challenge Mayan Tournament next week. Charlotte will also play Wake Forest and Princeton at the tournament.