Lady Cards fall in battle with Southern Idaho

TWIN FALLS — The Cardinals took a big step on Saturday at rival Southern Idaho. 

Now, it's about finding a way to next the next one. 

Freshman Esmeralda Galindo, who played at Davis High in Yakima, scored a game-high 30 points for the Cardinals, who were unable to battle back from a halftime deficit in a loss to the eighth-ranked Golden Eagles in the Scenic West Athletic Conference opener for both. 

"Our slow starts have been killing us," said NIC coach Nathan Covill, whose team trailed 45-30 at halftime. "The kids are playing hard, but we need to learn to compete at the next level and that's the next step." 

CSI outrebounded NIC 45-28. 

"We'll spend the next three days figuring out how to get better," Covill said. "But the rebounding hurts. Our energy is great, but we've got to keep making steps." 

Sophomore Kylani Rookstool, named the conference's Player of the Week last week, had 10 points for NIC (8-7), which hosts Colorado Northwestern on Thursday. 

Kennedy Gillette, a former Sugar-Salem star, had 17 points for Southern Idaho (13-3). 

NORTH IDAHO 

Chloe Collin 3-9 0-2 7, Kylani Rookstool 2-9 6-7 10, Tiarnee Smith 1-4 0-0 3, Iratxe Amorrortu 1-1 0-0 2, Summer Faleafa 5-12 0-0 11, Esmeralda Galindo 9-21 8-8 30, Ripeka Edwards 1-2 2-2 4, Emmalee Secrest 1-1 0-0 2, Elisa Holakeituai 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-59 16-19 69. 

SOUTHERN IDAHO 

Kennedy Gillette 3-9 7-8 17, Mariah Mons 3-7 0-0 7, Samara Morrow 4-8 6-9 14, Falon Bedke 4-8 2-2 10, Kayla Porray 2-4 0-0 4, Chloe Jensen 3-6 0-0 7, Alina Sapilak 3-4 0-0 8, Kayla Kasabuchi 1-6 0-0 2, Savannah Stocker 4-7 0-0 8, Macie Brown 1-4 1-2 3, Ashley Garner 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-63 16-21 80. 

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