Lady Tigers lose low scoring battle to Hutchinson

In a game that was back forth for most of the contest, the Hutchinson Lady Blue Dragons used a 14-2 run midway through the second half to open a double digit lead and then held on for a 43-39 win over Cowley Monday at W.S. Scott Auditorium.

The teams struggled to get into any kind of an offensive flow as they battled to an 18-18 tie at the end of the first half. Cowley led 26-25 after a basket by Alexis Wright with 11:20 left to play. However, Hutchinson went back on top and benefited from a technical foul call on Cowley’s Elena Yankova after the freshman was whistled for an offensive foul.

Hutchinson’s Amanda Fessenden hit both free throws on the technical and on the ensuing possession, Kylee Naccarato knocked down a three-pointer to put the Lady Blue Dragons on top 37-28. A basket by Fairen Lepaio increased Hutchinson’s lead to 39-28 with 6:12 remaining.

Cowley would turn up the heat defensively as the Lady Blue Dragons would score just four points over the game’s final six minutes of play. However, the Lady Tigers would get no closer than the final score.

Cowley head coach Todd Clark thought the 14-2 run by the Lady Blue Dragons was the difference in the game.

"It just wore us out,” Clark said. “We weren't making good adjustments. We were back on our heels a whole lot."

Cowley shot just 27.9 percent, but managed to stay close by forcing 21 Lady Blue Dragon turnovers. Yankova led Cowley with 12 points, while Gabrielle Curtis added 11. Alexis Wright chipped in with six points and eight rebounds.

Naccarato was the lone Hutchinson player to score in double figures as she finished with 11 points. Hailey Purcell added four points and a game-high 11 rebounds for the Lady Blue Dragons, which improved to 5-1 on the season.

The loss drops Cowley’s record to 3-5 on the season. The Lady Tigers will now prepare to play in the Dodge City Classic on Friday and Saturday. The Lady Tigers will face Frank Phillips at 2 p.m. Friday, and will then play Fort Carson at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Box score:
Hutchinson (43): Kylie Shepard 0-0 0-0 0, Kylee Naccarato 3-5 3-4 11, Hailey Purcell 2-8 0-2 4, Amanda Fessenden 3-11 1-2 7, Amber Schroer 1-2 0-2 2, Brittany Hines 0-4 2-2 2, Heather Leatherbury 0-5 0-0 0, Briyana Evans 1-1 0-0 2, Julie Richardson 0-1 0-0 0, Lanikia Lawrence 2-5 0-1 4, Fairen Lepaio 3-6 0-0 7, Lauren Sparks 2-5 0-0 4. Totals: 17-53 6-13 43.

Cowley (39): Elena Yankova 6-17 0-0 12, Alexis Wright 2-7 2-2 6, Gabrielle Curtis 4-16 3-4 11, Whitney Williams 1-4 0-0 2, Lauren Cherry 0-2 0-0 0, Noelle Jackson 0-5 0-0 0, Natasa Draganic 3-7 0-2 6, Shirolacille Holloway 0-0 0-0 0, JaNeil Robinson 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 17-61 5-8 39.

Three-pointers: Hutchinson 3-13 (Naccarato 2-3, Fessenden 0-3, Hines 0-3, Leatherbury 0-1, Lepaio 1-1, Sparks 0-2), Cowley 0-6 (Curtis 0-1, Jackson 0-2, Draganic 0-3). Rebounds: Hutchinson 34 (Purcell 11), Cowley 23 (Wright 8). Assists: Hutchinson 10 (Leatherbury 3), Cowley 6 (Wright, Curtis 2). Turnovers: Hutchinson 21, Cowley 9. Total fouls: Hutchinson 10, Cowley 12. Fouled out: none. Technicals: Yankova.