Commodores Go Cold In Second Half, Fall to Hocking College

January 15, 2025 - - The Lorain County Community College women's basketball team put up a valiant fight but ultimately fell to the Hocking College Hawks, 67-59, on Wednesday evening at the Ewing Activities Center Gymnasium. Despite the loss, standout performances from Ally Winnen (Lorain, Ohio/Elyria Catholic HS) and Abigail Schmitz (Amherst, Ohio/Firelands HS) kept the Commodores competitive against one of the top teams in the Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC).

Hocking College entered the contest second in the OCCAC standings and LCCC had nearly upset first-place Edison State just four days earlier. The Commodores started strong, taking an early lead on a layup by Winnen that was assisted by Helayna Houston (LaGrange, Ohio/Keystone HS), and maintained their advantage through the first half. Schmitz fueled the offensive surge with 13 first-half points, helping LCCC build a 30-18 halftime lead.

However, the Hawks came alive in the third quarter, holding LCCC scoreless for more than four minutes and ultimately reclaiming the lead with a minute left in the period. Hocking carried a slim 44-43 lead into the final quarter.

The Hawks then opened the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run, extending their lead to double digits and securing the victory.

Winnen delivered a dominant double-double, scoring 24 points on an efficient 9-16 shooting (56.3%) and grabbing 12 rebounds, including five on the offensive glass. She also added three assists and played the entire 40 minutes of the game.

Schmitz led all scorers with 27 points, going 9-for-24 from the field and hitting four shots from three-point range. Schmitz also contributed five rebounds, a team-high three steals, and two blocks, showcasing her all-around effort.

Together, Winnen and Schmitz accounted for 51 of LCCC's 59 points.