Lady Senators shrug off slow start, win 47-42 in TCCAA opener against Chattanooga State

CHATTANOOGA — Walters State overcame a single-digit scoring effort in the opening quarter to grind out a 47-42 victory over Chattanooga State in the TCCAA opener at Chattanooga State Community College Wednesday night.

The Lady Senators (2-2, 1-0 TCCAA) took an early 6-1 lead after buckets from Jalayah Manning and Jamya Rogers in the first three and a half minutes, but went cold under their own rim as Chattanooga State closed out the opening period on a 10-0 run before Manning tapped in a layup with 38 seconds to go to stop it.

Walters State sparked to life in the second, with Paris Mullins sinking a jumper before Manning tied the score 12-12 with a layup. The Lady Tigers (2-2, 0-1) retook the lead on a jump shot from Melisa Carter and stretched it to three with a free throw from Shaquala Walton.

A two and a free throw from Rogers knotted the score again before Mullins gave Walters State the lead, 17-15 on a layup. The game seesawed for the rest of the half, with Chattanooga State taking a 27-25 lead into the locker room at the buzzer.

The Lady Tigers tried to pull away in the third, but could never build more than a four-point lead before WSCC would chop it back down again. Walters State took over at the end of the third, with a layup from Kiera Hill giving them a 38-34 lead.

Both teams ground it out in the fourth, but WSCC kept its lead all the way, holding the Lady Tigers to just eight fourth quarter points.

The Lady Senators were led by Rogers, who scored 15 points and pulled down five rebounds. Mullins and Manning had 10 points apiece, with both adding eight rebounds. Quentarra Mitchell and Haley Comer had six rebounds each.

Chattanooga State got 12 points from Naja Fenelon and 10 from Carter.

NEXT UP

It's Homecoming at the 'Z' as the Lady Senators celebrate with a TCCAA match up against Columbia State Community College Saturday afternoon. Tip-off is 2 p.m. at 'Z' Buda Gymnasium.