Lady Pacers can’t hold early lead, fall to Oldenburg 54-52
The Switzerland County Lady Pacers held a 15-point lead late in the second quarter of last Thursday night’s game against Oldenburg Academy, but Coach Brooke Todd’s troops couldn’t hold that margin, and fell to the Lady Twisters by a final score of 54-52.
Kate Weber opened the game with a layup for Oldenburg; but that led to a run of seven straight points by Switzerland County.
Courtney Higgins hit a jumper to kick start the run; followed by Macy Collier converting a traditional three point play. Halle Archer then drilled a field goal, and the Lady Pacers held a 7-2 advantage.
After Rachel Suttman scored for Oldenburg to break the run; Archer scored again on a layup, Bri Stow hit a jumper, and Molly Wrightsman made a freethrow to allow Switzerland County to move out to a 12-4 lead with 2:36 to go in the opening frame.
Suttman scored again for the Lady Twisters; but the Lady Pacers countered with a basket by Higgins and steal and layup from Kenzie Taylor. Oldenburg’s Megan Bauer converted a basket at the buzzer; and after one quarter, Switzerland County led by a score of 16-8.
The second quarter opened with Bri Stow hitting a jumper to swell the lead up to 10; but Oldenburg’s Ellie Ryan answered with two freethrows. Stow then hit a three-pointer; but again the Lady Twisters stopped a run when Weber scored again.
Up by nine, the Lady Pacers went on another run, with Archer hitting a basket and following that up with two freethrows. When Higgins hit a basket with 2:55 to go until the half, Switzerland County held a lead of 27-12.
Oldenburg responded, running off nine straight points to close the half.
Weber’s bucket was followed by a basket from Ashley Borgman. Suttman scored inside; and Ryan hit a three-pointer at the buzzer.
At the halftime break, Switzerland County held a 27-21 lead.
Coming out of the halftime break, Oldenburg got a basket from Weber and a three-pointer from Ryan to climb to within one; but Stow drilled a three-pointer to extend the lead.
Ryan scored again; but Wrightsman answered that with a jumper from the baseline that made the score 32-28.
The Lady Twisters then got two straight baskets from Weber, and with 2:12 to go in the third, the game was tied at 32-32.
Stow went back to work, hitting another three-pointer; but Borgman scored inside to keep the game close.
A three-pointer by Taylor and another basket by Archer gave Switzerland County some breathing room, and the third quarter ended with the Lady Pacers in front, 40-34.
The final eight minute stanza opened with Oldenburg getting two straight baskets by Hannah Haverkos to cut the Lady Pacer lead to two; but again Switzerland County responded.
Collier hit a jumper from the paint and Higgins followed that with a runner inside; and with 3:55 to go, the Switzerland County lead was six points, 44-38.
From there, the Lady Pacer offense went cold, as Oldenburg would go on to score 12 straight points.
Suttman scored; then Borgman hit a three-pointer. Weber converted a traditional three-point play and followed that with a bucket; and Bauer made two freethrows.
With 1:28 to play, the Lady Twisters held a 50-44 lead.
Archer made a pair of freethrows for Switzerland County to halt the run; but Sadie Wachsman made a basket to keep the lead at six with just 49-seconds left.
Things got really interesting in the final minute of play; as Archer hit a three-pointer with 34-seconds left to narrow the gap to three.
After Coach Todd called a timeout; the Lady Pacer defensive pressure led to a steal of the inbounds pass and a lay up from Archer; and it was 52-51.
Again Archer stole the inbounds pass, but this time she was fouled and sent to the line for two freethrows with 29-seconds left.
She missed both attempts; and Switzerland County was forced to foul.
Weber went to the line for two attempts with 22-seconds to go, and she missed both attempts, but Borgman grabbed the offensive rebound, and Switzerland County fouled to send her to the line.
Borgman missed the first but then made the second attempt; and Switzerland County raced down court.
With 10-seconds left Higgins was fouled and went to the line. She made the first attempt but then missed the second — and the lead stayed at one.
Weber was fouled again with four seconds left, and she made one attempt to provide the final margin of victory, and Switzerland County lost 54-52.
Archer led Switzerland County with 17 points; and she also added five rebounds, four steals, and three assists.
Stow had 13 points and four rebounds; Higgins had nine points, five assists, and four steals. Taylor had five points and three assists; Collier had five points; and Wrightsman added three points.
Weber had 16 points to lead Oldenburg; while Ryan finished with 13.
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In the junior varsity game, Switzerland County won by a score of 54-17.
Carlee Boggs and Addie Kelso each had 11 points to lead the Lady Pacers; while Kaitlynn Stucker and Isabella Breeck each finished with nine.
Claire Rogers had six points; Ashlyn Covington and Allena Weaver each had three; and Lauren Smith had two.