The Switzerland County Pacer girls basketball team defeated Oldenburg Academy Saturday night by a score of 58-46.
The Lady Pacers started out strong, being the only team to score until the last minute of the quarter, ballooning the lead to 18-0 before finally allowing Oldenburg to score.
The Pacers scored 22 points during the first quarter, while the Lady Twisters scored six — all in the last minute of the period. Ashley Bright was first and last to score during the first quarter scoring a total of 11 points for the quarter. Ashley Chase scored seven and April Thieman and Amber Smith each chipped in two.
The second quarter scoring was much closer for the two teams, with Oldenburg outscoring the Pacers 17-14 — but it was not enough to bring the Twisters close to the lead that the Pacers had gained the first quarter.
Ashley Chase started the second quarter out scoring a nice three-pointer for the Lady Pacers. Oldenburg responded with a basket for two points; and then Ashley Chase went to the foul line and shot two free throws hitting both. The Lady Twisters responded again, hitting a basket.
Ashley Bright then hit a basket for two points. Oldenburg came back again hitting another two pointer and making one of two at the foul line. The score then stood at 29-13 with the Lady Pacers still in the lead.
Kodi Driver — after cheering her team from the bench with injury — finally got to participate in a game after months of rehabbing her injured knee. She scored a three-pointer shortly after entering the game for the first time that brought a cheer from the crowd. Oldenburg then went to the foul line shooting two for two. Then Lady Twister Dominika Roberts scored twice more, narrowing the margin of the Lady Pacers’ lead to 13 points, 32-19.
Morgan Ross then went up and scored two with a nice assist from Tanya Sefton.
The Twisters came back again and scored twice and then fouled Ashley Bright. Ashley Bright then finished the second quarter hitting her two foul shots ending the half with Switzerland County out in front by a score of 36-23.
The third quarter started out with Oldenburg scoring and in control. They scored three times — each worth two — and hit two foul shots, which had them within five points of the Lady Pacers’ lead with a score of 36-31.
The quarter was half over when Ashley Chase went up to score but with no success, but was fouled by the Lady Twisters. That took her to the line, where she scored two foul shots. She then hit another shot a minute later for two points, giving the Lady Pacers a little bigger lead, 40-31.
With two minutes left the Oldenburg girls tried to get on track again, scoring two more points. But that was it for them for the quarter.
Morgan Ross — with 1:35 left in the period — scored twice giving the Lady Pacers a lead in the quarter 44-33.
Ashley Chase and Ashley Bright then each scored two a piece to end the quarter 48-33.
The fourth quarter began with the Lady Twisters scoring two on the foul line just a minute into the period. Ashley Chase then scored two for the Lady Pacers, but the Lady Twisters came back and scored two more and hit three more points at the foul line. The Oldenburg girls were closing in on the Lady Pacers narrowing the Switzerland County lead to only 10 points.
Twister Jenna Meyer then scored, cutting the lead to 50-42.
Kodi Driver was then fouled and hit two for two at the foul line. Following that Ashley Chase scored two — pushing the Lady Pacers back again to a 12 point lead.
Ashley Chase then was hit with her fourth foul, sending Amanda Dickman to the line, but she only hit one of the two shots. Then Dominika Roberts hit a shot for two, and also went to the foul line hitting only one of her foul shots. The score — now with less than a minute to go — was 54-46, Lady Pacers’ lead.
Natalie Daugherty and Ashley Bright were both fouled in the last minute of the game. Each trip to the foul line was successful. with both players hitting two for two. Those freethrows ended the game for the Lady Pacers, who pulled out the win, 58-46.
Ashley Chase led Switzerland County with 22 points; while Ashley Bright scored 17 points for the Pacers and Morgan Ross added six.
Kodi Driver scored five in her first game of the year; Amber Smith added four; and Natalie Daugherty and April Thieman each chipped in two.
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The junior varsity Lady Pacers had a very close and exciting win over the Oldenburg team.
Leading the jayvee team was Megan McCarty with eight points; and Lauren Chase had six points — including the game-winner at the buzzer. Jenna Daugherty had five points; Tanya Sefton and Shauna Todd each had three points; and Katie Rayls chipped in one.
— Debi Sefton