DES PLAINES, Ill. — Milwaukee Area Technical College's postseason run ended Wednesday with a 67–59 loss at Oakton Community College in the Region IV opening round, a game that swung sharply after a key first‑half injury.

MATC opened with control and composure, taking a 15–13 lead after the first quarter behind balanced scoring and steady half‑court execution. Five Stormers scored in the opening frame as MATC dictated tempo and stacked several defensive stops. The offense continued to flow in the second quarter, fueled by Sa'Nyai Mitchell, who poured in 10 points during the period. But Oakton capitalized on turnovers and defensive breakdowns, using a 21‑point quarter and a 7‑of‑10 showing at the free‑throw line to move ahead 34–32 at halftime.

Momentum shifted late in the second quarter when freshman guard Laila Hamiel exited with an ankle injury. Her absence forced the Stormers to adjust on the fly and limited their perimeter defense and spacing entering the second half.

Oakton seized control in the third quarter, stringing together multiple scoring runs and outscoring MATC 22–11 to push the deficit into double digits. The Stormers tightened defensively in the fourth and generated a late push with 16 points, but the gap proved too large to close as Oakton maintained composure down the stretch.

"We played a very competitive game and fought hard to the end," head coach Arom Murrell said. "The game changed dramatically when Hamiel went down with a severe ankle injury a few minutes before halftime. Down two coming out of the break, we had to go with [Rachel] Schlies, who herself was returning after being out multiple weeks with her own injury. Despite not being 100% herself, Schlies gave a valiant effort. Our perimeter defense was compromised without Hamiel, and her offense was definitely missed. The third quarter was the difference in the game. Mitchell was unstoppable most of the night, but she needed more offensive support from her teammates."

MATC finished the night with balanced scoring and stretches of strong defensive play, but the decisive third quarter proved too much to overcome. The Stormers close the season 16–15 overall, including an 8–4 mark at home and 8–11 on the road, securing a winning record for the second straight year.

"I'd have to say we had a successful season overall. We started the year with only one returner in Rachel Schlies, seven true freshmen, and three transfers. Our transfers came here looking for opportunities to contribute more than they had at their previous programs, and they certainly became major factors in our success.

We finished in the top 10 of Region 4 and played a full 30‑game schedule, competing every night and giving ourselves chances to win against some of the best teams in the country. Our freshmen matured and settled into their roles admirably as the season went on, and I'm even more excited to see how that growth translates next season.

Our sophomores were resilient, showed great leadership, and provided us with a solid foundation. Injuries and other adversity were never enough to deter us — we played all season with a 'next‑lady‑up' mentality. I'm proud of the effort and fight this year's Lady Stormers program put forth."

Mitchell led all scorers with 23 points, including 10 in the second quarter and eight in the fourth. Freshman guard Emani Summers added 12 points, and sophomore forward Moriah Landry finished with 10. Schlies scored six, followed by freshman center Zihre Sellers with five, sophomore forward Lacee Rodriguez with two, and freshman center Maniyah Woolridge with one. Hamiel was held scoreless after leaving in the first half.