Sports
Lady Bulldogs Come Up Short in Late Game Surge
By: Tee Willis
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With five minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Athens Lady Bulldogs were just three points away from making an 11-point comeback.
Despite their relentless efforts, the Lady Bulldogs were unable to come out on top as the Wellston Lady Golden Rockets ran away with the win 53-44 on Monday night.
Offensively, neither team played exceptionally well in the first half, but free throws made all the difference.
11 of Wellston’s 18 first half points came from the free throw line. The Lady Golden Rockets shot poorly from the field in the first half as well, making only three of its 25 attempts.
Unlike Wellston, the Lady Bulldogs were insufficient from the free throw line. Athens made only one of its 11 free-throw attempts in the first half, relying on second chance buckets and a pair of three pointers to lead 18-17 before the end of the half.
The Lady Golden Rockets were noticeably more aggressive coming out of the half. The team scored 19 points in the third quarter and made five field goals on 12 attempts. Emma Jadrnicek made two 3-pointers that shifted the momentum in Wellston’s favor as they took a commanding 37-26 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Tory Doles had a significant role in Wellston’s victory. Doles shot 15 of 22 from the free throw line and led all scorers with 22 points. The senior was also a monster on the glass, hauling in nine rebounds.
Though Athens came close to edging the Lady Golden Rockets, their offense was inconsistent. Mindi Gregory was the only Lady Bulldog to hit double figures and she led the team with 12 points. Athens shot just 28 percent from the field and made only four of the 23 3-pointers taken.
“Our half- court offense … we still have a lot of work to do on that,” Athens head coach Seth Matheny said after the game.
The Lady Bulldogs are now 1-2 on the season and will take on the Federal Hocking Lancers at home this Saturday.