Cardinals Win First Playoff Game in Program History
History was made Tuesday night as the CCBC Catonsville Cardinals women's basketball team won their first playoff game in program history, defeating the Cougars of Frederick Community College 63-44.
On a historic night, the Cardinals did what they did best by dominating on defense. Catonsville's defenders scooped up 54 rebounds, forced 15 turnovers, and recorded nine steals as they punched their ticket to the second round of the Region 20 tournament.
Facing a Frederick team that had given them trouble in the regular season, the Cardinals focused on limiting Frederick's chances to score by forcing key turnovers. For the fifth straight game, the Cardinals held their opponent to single-digit points in at least one quarter, in this case holding Frederick to seven points in the second.
The Cougars would attempt a comeback in the second half, as Frederick's Paige Smith caught fire with four three-pointers. But it didn't matter, as a 27-point fourth quarter from the Cardinals put the game away. The win marked the first postseason victory for the program since its return in 2015.
Leading the way for the Cardinals was sophomore guard Tenea Robinson (Baltimore Poly Tech). Robinson dropped 32 points, her second-highest total of the season, along with adding six rebounds. Robinson's season point total had eclipsed 500 by the end of the night, making her 2023-24 campaign one of the best scoring seasons in Catonsville history.
In the paint, nobody could stop sophomore forward Jocelyn Fogle (Hammond). Fogle scored a second-straight double-double with 11 points and a career-high 24 rebounds. Aided by 10 rebounds from sophomore guard Kayla Cabbagestalk (Chesapeake), the Cardinals were untouchable on defense. NJCAA Player of the Month Dasia Townes (Baltimore Poly Tech) added to the historic night with a near-triple double. The sophomore forward scored nine points, six rebounds, and seven assists.
The Cardinals next head to the campus of Cecil College for the semifinals of the Region 20 tournament, where they will meet Garrett College.