Express Hold Off Commodores to Capture NJCAA DIII Mid Atlantic District Championship

March 1, 2025 - - The Lorain County Community College women's basketball team battled hard but came up just short in the NJCAA DIII Mid Atlantic District Championship, falling 61-54 to Owens Community College. With the win, Owens secured a trip to the NJCAA DIII National Championship in Rochester, Minnesota.

Despite having lost three times to Owens this season—including a 77-43 defeat on February 22 in the Region 12 Championship—the Commodores showed resilience in their fourth meeting, similar to their first two contests with Owens where they lost by a combined 10 points.

LCCC got off to a strong start when Helayna Houston (LaGrange, Ohio/Keystone HS) found Sidney Iler (LaGrange, Ohio/First Baptist Christian HS) for a three-pointer on the game's first possession, giving the Commodores an early 3-0 lead. However, Owens responded with a 16-0 run, forcing LCCC to play from behind early. Abigail Schmitz (Amherst, Ohio/Firelands HS) helped spark a response, scoring six straight points to cut the deficit to 16-9 and forcing an Owens timeout. Schmitz had a strong first quarter, scoring 10 of LCCC's 15 points, but the Commodores still trailed 21-15 after the first period.

Momentum continued to swing LCCC's way in the second quarter. Chloe Meng (Elyria, Ohio/First Baptist Christian) drained a three-pointer on an assist from Houston to trim Owens' lead to five at the 8:30 mark. Two minutes later, Meng drove past two defenders for a layup, making it a one-possession game at 23-20. A basket from Allison Jones (Homerville, Ohio/Wadsworth HS) further cut the deficit to one point, but Owens held on to a 29-26 lead at halftime.

The Commodores faced adversity in the second half when leading scorer Schmitz fouled out late in the third quarter. Owens took advantage, using a 23-point third quarter to create separation. Even without their top scorer, LCCC fought back, capitalizing on Owens' turnovers and getting key baskets from Alexis Sheridan (Avon Lake, Ohio/Avon Lake HS) and Michelle Echevarria (Ponce, Puerto Rico/Lehigh HS). Echevarria and Meng each hit three-pointers in the fourth quarter, helping the Commodores stay within striking distance.

Despite outscoring Owens 14-9 in the final frame, LCCC struggled to score down the stretch, managing just three points in the final three minutes. Owens held on to secure the district championship and the coveted trip to nationals.

Schmitz led LCCC with 22 points on 10-of-18 shooting before fouling out. Echevarria contributed 9 points and 11 rebounds, while Meng added 8 points.