It took overtime, but the Switzerland County Lady Pacer varsity basketball team picked up its first victory of the season on Tuesday night with a 48-41 win over Milan.
Leading the charge for Switzerland County were seniors Kelly Kincaid and Allie Mathews, who accounted for all nine points in the four minute overtime period after Milan forced the extra period with a three-pointer at the end of overtime.
The Lady Pacers opened the contest with a 5-0 run on five straight points by Emily White; and after Milan got on the board with a basket by Lydia Ertel, Kelly Kincaid converted a three-pointer to push the lead to six. Milan scored again, but again Kelly Kincaid then connected on another three-pointer to make the score 11-4 with three minutes to play.
Milan then went on a run of six straight points, to narrow the gap to one, and Bre Ricketts closed the quarter with a basket to give Switzerland County a three-point lead.
Milan went on a tear to open the second period, scoring 12 straight points on three three-pointers by Kayla Peetz, a basket by Erica Truitt and a freethrow by Mary Rohrig, grabbing a 22-13 lead halfway through the quarter.
Switzerland County didn’t get on the second quarter scoreboard until there was 2:17 to play in the quarter on a basket by Bre Ricketts -and that would be the only basket that the Lady Pacers would have in the period. Milan got another freethrow, and the half ended with the Lady Indians out in front by a 23-15 score.
Eve Galbreath opened the second half for the Lady Pacers with an inside bucket; and after Milan matched that, Kelly Kincaid scored from the baseline and Emily White converted a steal into a layup, and Switzerland County was back within four. The Lady Indians scored to break that streak, but Emily White scored again to keep the deficit at four.
Milan closed the third period with five straight points from Shelby Ross, and the teams went to their final break with Switzerland County trailing, 32-23.
But just when it looked like the Lady Pacers would go down to a fourth straight loss, Coach Ashley Chase’s squad turned up the defensive pressure, forcing Milan into numerous turnovers in a final quarter that was marked by physical play from both squads.
The offense picked up, too, as Switzerland County outscored Milan 10-2 over the first five minutes of the quarter to climb to within one; with Kelly Kincaid hitting a jumper followed by Bre Ricketts on a runner in the lane and a baseline jumper from Allie Mathews.
Kelly Kincaid followed that with a put back basket, and when Milan coach Lisa Bradshaw was issued a technical foul, Kelly Kincaid converted both freethrows to cut the gap to one.
Milan’s Lydia Ertel made a freethrow to make the score 35-33; and the Lady Pacers then tied the game on a basket by Kelly Kincaid with 1:48 to play.
Switzerland County then took the lead with 52-second left on a basket by Emily White; but Erica Truitt got fouled with just 15-seconds to play and had two freethrows for a chance to tie. She made the first one, and when the second attempt bounced free, Bre Ricketts grabbed the rebound and was quickly fouled. She converted both charities, and with 12-seconds to play, Switzerland County held a three-point lead, 39-36.
With five seconds to play, Milan had the ball underneath its own basket, and when Shelby Ross came free and launched a three-pointer with a second to play, and when found the range, regulation ended with the teams knotted at 39-39.
But Switzerland County didn’t falter in the extra four-minute period, as Allie Mathews scored from the baseline and then made a pair of freethrows and Kelly Kincaid made four straight freethrows. That pushed the Lady Pacers in front 47-39 ; and after Kayla Peetz made two freethrows for Milan, Kelly Kincaid capped the victory with one more freethrow, making the final score 48-41.
Kelly Kincaid led all scorers with 21 points on the night; and Emily White was also in double figures with 11.
Bre Ricketts added eight points; Allie Mathews had six; and Eve Galbreath contributed two.
Kayla Peetz led Milan with 14 points; and Shelby Ross had 13.
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In the junior varsity game, Switzerland County manhandled Milan by a score of 36-9.
Hailee Lay led all scorers with 12 points; and both Carleigh Hughes and Tess Stoops finished with 11. Paige Ridener also had two points.