Lady Eagles Stay Perfect with Road Win Over Gulf Coast
PERKINSTON, Miss. – The Meridian Community College women's basketball team remained unbeaten Monday night, earning a hard-fought 63–58 road win over Mississippi Gulf Coast inside Dantzler Arena to move to 4–0 on the season.
The Lady Eagles came out strong, building a 19–14 lead after the first quarter and extending the margin to as many as 12 points in the second. Despite foul trouble across the lineup, Meridian maintained its composure and took a 36–29 advantage into halftime.
The third quarter proved challenging as the Lady Eagles battled both shooting woes and mounting fouls, scoring just seven points in the frame. Still, Meridian held on to a narrow 43–41 lead heading into the fourth.
The game tightened late, with the Bulldogs tying things up at 46 before both teams traded baskets down the stretch. With the score knotted at 56 and again at 58, Meridian closed the door with a decisive 5–0 run to secure the 63–58 victory.
Sophomore Mia Washington led the way for the Lady Eagles with 15 points, while sophomores Akeelah Cain and Terica Smith added 11 points each. Despite foul trouble—several key players finishing with four fouls and Nataysia Willis fouling out in the fourth—the sophomores stepped up when it mattered most.
Head Coach Jocelyn McGilberry was proud of her team's toughness on the road.
"This was a great win for us," McGilberry said. "We fought hard in a tough environment and found a way to finish. We were sloppy at times and turned the ball over too much, but I'm proud of how our players kept competing and stayed together."
With the win, Meridian improves to 4–0 and will look to keep its momentum rolling Thursday when they return home to host Lawson State at 5:30 p.m. in Graham Gymnasium.
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