RCTC Women’s Basketball reflects on first loss of the season ahead of NJCAA D-III Tournament

Yellowjackets lost to Riverland 67-60 in the Region XIII Championship on February 26.

(ABC 6 News) — The NJCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Tournament will begin in Rochester on Wednesday, March 15. The host team, RCTC, is coming off its first loss all season when the Riverland Blue Devils pulled off a 67-60 upset in the Region XIII Championship on February 26.

Up to that point, the Yellowjackets were undefeated with a superb 24 straight victories prior to falling to the Blue Devils.

Now, as they look to win a national title in their home venue — something they couldn’t do a year ago –they’re taking their first loss in stride. Head Coach Jason Bonde’s crew knows very well what it is capable of doing and are putting all focus on the near future.

“We shot — I think — under 30 percent which is super low for us, we learned a lot, it humbled us a little bit being undefeated, ” sophomore RCTC guard Ravyn Miles recounted. “I mean, we didn’t have big heads, but I think it did definitely did give us a reality check. So, we need to bring our a-game every single game.”

“We just lost, you know?” sophomore forward Olivia Christianson said. “It was just — I can’t describe it, because one of the sophomores and I were talking about it and just nothing felt right. It wasn’t like I never expected us to lose because we are human. In reality, I mean, it’s just a basketball game but it was just — like I said, I don’t even know how, what that feeling is.”

“It hurt, you could tell it hurt,” Coach Bonde added. “Unfortunately, they probably still think about it but we’ll move on. We’ll be ready to go, we’re hungry to go, this is a talented team.”

The Yellowjackets will face the #11 Onondaga/#6 CC of Rhode Island winner in the quarterfinals on Thursday, March 16.