LCCC Falls To Owens In Region 12 Title Game; Rematch With Owens For District Championship Next Saturday

February 22, 2025 - - The Lorain County Community College women's basketball team had reason to be optimistic heading into its NJCAA DIII Region 12 Championship showdown with Owens Community College. The Commodores had played the Express close in the regular season—losing both matchups by a combined 10 points—but struggled to keep pace in Saturday's postseason title game.

The Commodores got off to a rough start offensively, shooting just 3-of-11 from the field in the opening quarter. Owens capitalized with a 10-2 run, turning an early LCCC lead into a 13-9 deficit after the first 10 minutes. Helayna Houston (LaGrange, Ohio/Keystone HS) ran into early foul trouble, picking up two quick fouls in the first two and a half minutes, which disrupted LCCC's offensive rhythm.

LCCC showed some early fight with a pair of three-pointers in the first quarter. Abigail Schmitz (Amherst, Ohio/Firelands HS) assisted Michelle Echevarria (Ponce, Puerto Rico/Lehigh HS) for one, before Echevarria returned the favor to Schmitz moments later. The duo kept the Commodores in striking distance in the second quarter. Echevarria knocked down a jumper inside the arc, followed by a Schmitz and-1 conversion off a pass from Sidney Iler (LaGrange, Ohio/First Baptist Christian). However, Owens' defensive pressure stifled LCCC's offense, holding the Commodores to just six field goals in the first half. They went into the break trailing 33-17.

Things didn't improve for LCCC in the second half as Owens extended its lead. The Express outscored the Commodores 16-11 in the third quarter and pulled away completely in the fourth, sealing the victory with a dominant 28-point final frame.

LCCC finished the game shooting just 29.6% from the field (16-of-54), including a cold 3-of-21 (14.3%) from beyond the arc. Schmitz and Allison Jones led the Commodores with 13 points apiece, while Echevarria added nine. The 43-point output matched LCCC's lowest-scoring game of the season.

However, the Commodores have not been eliminated from championship contention. Due to Regions 10 and 20 not fielding teams in a regional final, both LCCC and Owens will advance to the Mid-Atlantic District Championship on March 1, 2025. As the DIII Region 12 Champion, Owens will host the district title game.