Spartanburg, SC – The Warriors fell in their exhibition game against USC Upstate on Saturday evening in a 68-33 final score.
Southern Wesleyan shot 17% from the field and were 68.2% from the free throw line on Saturday. Steffy Cervantes led the team with eight points. Both Makayla Raines and Alyssa Kiel had six points in the game. Cervantes, Raines and Miley White had solo assists.
The Warriors pulled down 20 rebounds during the exhibition game. Steffy Cervantes had three rebounds, while both Erin Frazier and Emily Gamon had two. Frazier went on to have the lone block of the game. Of the 13 steals the Warriors collected, Kami Roach led the team with three.
Game Vitals
Final: USC Upstate 68, Southern Wesleyan 33
Records: Southern Wesleyan (0-0) USC Upstate (2-1)
How It Happened
USC Upstate charged out of the gate as early baskets by Vera Saderblom, Grace Booth and Lexi Castator put the Spartans on top 6-0. A shooting foul allowed Steffy Cervantes to go to the charity strip. She hit one of her free throws to put the Warriors on the board. The Spartans would not relent as they extended their lead to ten on a mid-range by Saderblom. Cervantes stole the ball away and went coast-to-coast to lay the ball up. With just under two minutes left in the quarter, Miley White passed the ball over to Maddison Neale. Neale knocked down a three pointer to put the Warriors back within twelve.
Southern Wesleyan opened up the second quarter with a mid-range out of the hands of Steffy Cervantes. The Warriors pressed on as Emily Gamon stole the ball away from Emma Blaire and quickly laid the ball up into the basket. With just under five minutes left in the quarter, Haylie Lamonde fired off a shot from beyond the arc. USC Upstate pressed on as Vera Saderblom laid the ball up, but Southern Wesleyan answered with a mid-range out of the hands of Alyssa Kiel. The Warriors trailed the Spartans 32-19 at halftime.
Macy Wike hit a three pointer to start the third quarter of the match. Southern Wesleyan answered as Makayla Raines knocked down a three pointer after Steffy Cervantes passed the ball over to her. However, Emma Blair and Grace Booth each drove to the net for layups to extend on the Spartans lead.
The Spartans kicked off the final quarter of the match with a layup by Emma Blair. A mid-range by Zoe Richardson allowed them to extend their lead to 50-24 over the Warriors. Southern Wesleyan pressed on as Erin Frazier put up several shots. Izzy Callaway sent the ball out beyond the arc to Keira Hudson who hit a three pointer to extend USC Upstate's lead to thirty-one. A foul by Jessa Troy sent Braelin Cumbie to the charity strip. Cumbie hit both her shots. The Warriors fell to the Spartans in a 68-33 final score.
What's Next
Southern Wesleyan will host their home opener on November 9 as they welcome the Flagler Saints to Historic Tysinger Gymnasium. They will then travel to Emory, VA to take part in the CC/SAC Conference Challenge where they will take on the Mars Hill Lions on November 12 and then Emory & Henry Wasps on November 13. On November 17, the Warriors will host the Bob Jones Bruins in non-conference action at 5pm.
