SANTA ANA – It’s borderline blasphemous to throw around the phrase “losing streak” when talking about Mater Dei’s girls basketball team.
Not since 2008 had the Monarchs dropped back-to-back contests.
So being as their last game was a 15-point loss to Windward of Los Angeles nearly two weeks ago, Mater Dei had assuredly worked out all the kinks, right?
Not entirely.
Plagued by 20 turnovers and a dreadful shooting performance, the Monarchs ended its season with a 64-46 loss to Long Beach Poly in the CIF Southern California Open Division Regional semifinals at Mater Dei High on Tuesday evening.
“We struggled with shooting all night,” said Monarchs coach Kevin Kiernan. “Poly played great. They shot the ball better than I’ve ever seen them shoot the ball in the first period. It kind of knocked us on our heels a little bit.”
Mater Dei finished its season with a 26-3 overall record. Its back-to-back losses by double-digits is something that has not occurred since 2006, the year before Kiernan was hired to take over the program.
“We just haven’t been sharp the last couple weeks,” Kiernan added. “We’ve only played three games since Feb. 12. That’s not an excuse, but we haven’t been sharp since the season ended.”
Long Beach Poly (25-3) never trailed, and tit led at halftime, 42-33, behind five first-half 3-pointers.
In the second half, Mater Dei shot 12 percent from the floor, making only three field goals over the final 16 minutes of play (3 for 25 shooting).
Katie Lou Samuelson finished with a team-high 17 points, but was the only Monarchs scorer in double figures. The Jackrabbits had four players finish with 10 or more points.
“I just don’t think we’re the same team we were a month ago,” Kiernan said. “And again, that’s on me.”
Poly will play Etiwanda in the Open Division finals at Citizens Bank Arena in Ontario on Saturday at 6 p.m.
