2008 Woodie Awards
Lady Monarchs Finish Season With Win Over W.L.A. Oilers
Valley struggles throughout the season and fails to finish strong.
Sam Hahn
Issue date: 2/23/05 Section: Sports
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"Tonight's win was big for us," said sophomore center Jasmine Wesley (16 points, 7 rebounds). "This was our first win in the second half of the season and for us to end the season with a win was big."
Countless injuries and lack of veteran leadership played a tremendous role in the Lady Monarchs' season.
Point guard Roxy Quintero and Wesley were the only players returning from last season's squad.
"[Wesley] and [Quintero] came up big for us this season," said head coach Ruth Seja. "They worked very hard to try to keep this team focused and intact throughout the year."
Starting off the season with an impressive 6-1 record, the Monarchs faltered and failed to make the playoffs for the first time in 10 seasons while finishing with a 14-16 record.
Seja attributed the Monarchs' struggles to the team's lack of work ethic during the season.
"Basketball is about dedication and commitment," said Seja. "Not all of the girls on the team had the same amount of dedication that it takes to be successful during a season."
Seja also added that during the season, the Lady Monarchs failed to collectively get on the same page.
"This is the most disappointing season for me personally," explained Wesley. "We had so much talent on this team and it was sad seeing a number of players just fall off as the season progressed."
"It took a lot for all of us as a team to gel and come together, and it's a shame to see us not succeed," Wesley added.
Even with the sub-par finish, Seja remains optimistic for next season.
"I'm really excited for this team next season," said Seja.
