Cougars Fall To Fighting Owls In Conference Play

By Bill Cauley, Frederick News Post

In the earlier women's game, a short-handed FCC team got 42 points from Tia Byrd in the loss.

The Cougars' women were down to five players for Saturday's game. One player was ineligible, one was injured and a third was suspended following an ejection in Friday's game against Monroe.

FCC (9-12 overall, 5-5 in Maryland JuCo) was forced to play a more conservative game to keep players out of foul trouble.

"Tia hung in there and played with a lot of heart," FCC coach Le'Teshia LeSane said of Byrd's hot hand in scoring. She scored 19 points in the fourth quarter and hit nine 3-pointers in the game.

FCC is tied for seventh in the standings and can go no lower than eighth, so the Cougars have likely clinched a postseason playoff berth.

Even with an eight-player roster, LaSane remains upbeat, saying all she asks is they go out every game and play up to their potential.