The Switzerland County Lady Pacers lost in a close game last Thursday night to the Lawrenceburg Lady Tigers by a final score of 40-38. It was the second time in less than a week that the two teams had met, with the Lady Pacers defeating the Lady Tigers in the opening round of the Rivertown Classic earlier in the month.
The Lady Tigers were first to score with a three-point shot and a basket taking the lead 5-0. Then a long dry spell hit both teams until Ashley Bright scored for the Lady Pacers with a three-point shot with 2:29 left in the quarter.
Lady Tiger Sara Vorbroker hit her second three-point shot to give the Lady Tigers the lead 8-3. The Lady Tigers would add one more basket before the quarter ended; and Ashley Chase scored in the last seconds of the period for the Lady Pacers, who were still trailing 10-5 at the first intermission.
Ashley Chase set the tone as the second quarter got underway, scoring two baskets for the Lady Pacers. Lawrenceburg then went to the foul line to add another point to their side; but Amber Smith scored to tie the game and April Thieman followed that to give the Lady Pacers the lead, 13-11.
The Lady Tigers then took over, scoring five straight points to regain the lead; but Amber Smith scored a basket to stop the run. That score was answered by a Lady Tiger Ayrica Harvey with a basket of her own to give Lawrenceburg the lead, 18-15.
Lady Pacer Courtney Cole — who had been supporting her team from the bench because of rehabilitating after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament during the volleyball season — returned for the first time this season, and she finished off the half by scoring a basket and getting a point at the foul line to tie up the score, 18-18.
Ashley Chase started off the second half with a basket and Lady Tiger Sara Vorbroker hit another three-point shot, taking the lead for the Lady Tigers 21-20. April Thieman was then fouled and was successful for two at the line; and Ashley Chase also added a point from the foul line.
The Lady Tigers would score three baskets of their own, keeping their lead 27-23. Courtney Cole finished off the third quarter by scoring a basket to get Switzerland County within two of the Lady Tigers, 27-25.
Lawrenceburg’s Alicia Haney scored first in the fourth quarter to expand the lead to 29-25; but April Thieman answered that with a score and Ashley Bright added a shot to tie up the ball game at 29-29.
Alicia Haney would hit two more baskets for Lawrenceburg while Lady Pacer Ashley Chase added a basket; and the Lady Tigers made another basket — adding to the lead once again, going up by four points, 35-31.
Natalie Daugherty added a basket for the Lady Pacers, but again Sara Vorbroker would hit another three-point shot and followed that by hitting another basket to expand the lead to 40-33.
Ashley Chase added a basket to cut the Lady Tiger lead to 40-35; but Natalie Daugherty was whistled with her fifth and final foul trying to get a rebound, and the loss of the senior had an effect on her teammates.
Amber Smith scored a three-point basket with 30 seconds left trying to catch up; but the Lady Pacers were unsuccessful with another last attempt, and the game ended with Lawrenceburg picking up the win by a final score of 40-38.
Leading the Lady Pacers in scoring was Ashley Chase with 13 points. Amber Smith had seven points; April Thieman had six points; Courtney Cole and Ashley Bright each had five points; and Natalie Daugherty chipped in two.
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The Lady Pacers junior varsity team lost to the Lady Tigers by a score of 31-15.
Scoring for the jayvee team were Tanya Sefton with five points; and Jenna Daugherty had three points. Megan McCarty, Karista Wengert, and Katilyn Rayls all had two points; and Lauren Chase chipped in one.