Lady Lions block Greyhounds in SHL win

     LEESBURG – The Fairfield Lady Lions never trailed Monday evening against the Manchester Lady Greyhounds, making second chance opportunities while playing top-notch defense as they defeated their Southern Hills League counterpart 54-42.

     The game was a Coaches vs. Cancer game, where $1,420 was raised.

     The Lady Lions’ defense finished with 16 blocked shots with senior Gabby Boone and junior Chelsey Riddle leading the Lady Lions with six blocks each.

     Also on the defensive side Fairfield had 49 total rebounds and seven steals, while forcing 20 turnovers.

     “The girls have been working really hard on their defensive play in practices before this game,” Fairfield head coach Matt Hodson said. “The last time we played Manchester they made six or seven threes, but tonight they made just one. The girls wanted this game since we lost at their place earlier this year, and we have been working to get hands in the face of the shooters.”

     Fairfield (8-7, 5-4) allowed the Lady Greyhounds to tie the game just once at three with 3:40 left in the opening eight minutes.

     The Lady Lions started the game with Boone and Riddle combining for three points for the early advantage. Boone finished with a team-high in points with 18, while adding 13 rebounds.

     Riddle finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

     Manchester junior Katie Little tied the game with a 3-pointer, but her points were answered with a put back basket by Riddle. Little finished the contest with a game-high 24 points.

     From the 2:59 mark of the first until the buzzer sounded the Lady Lions went on a 9-2 run, with junior Megan Sword scoring five points, including scoring off an inbounds pass while battling two defenders inside the paint.

     Fairfield began the second with points from senior Sadie Jones, followed with a rebound and basket by sophomore Kortney Paris. Little brought the Lady Greyhounds within 10, but again, points were scored by Jones, and later in the quarter by senior Lauren Bowman and Boone for the 14-point lead.

     At the start of the third Little came out huge with three straight points, but the combo of Boone, Riddle and Bowman put FHS ahead 35-17 with nine consecutive points, leaving 4:15 in the third.

     With 3:22 left in the quarter Boone converted a three point play, followed later with a jump shot for seven straight points as she sank inside points before the three point play.

     The third ended with Little making two jumpers, but the shots were equaled by Jones and Boone.

     Manchester outscored FHS 17-8 in the fourth quarter.

     “The ladies had that look in their eye that they really wanted this game,” Hodson said. “All the girls played well and did what we needed them to do to get the win.”

     For the game the Lady Lions shot 23 of 51 for 37 percent, as MHS was 18 of 68 for 26 percent from the field. FHS committed 28 turnovers.

     FHS will play again Thursday at Whiteoak. The win lifts FHS to 8-7 overall, 5-4 in the SHL. Manchester falls to 8-8 overall, 5-6 in the SHL.

BOX SCORE
SCORE BY QUARTERS

MHS – 8 6 11 17 – 42

FHS – 16 12 18 8 – 54

INDIVIDUAL STATS

FHS (54)

Sword 4 1-3 9, Jones 5 10, Paris 1 2, Bowman 1 1-2 3, Riddle 5 2-2 12, Boone 7 4-5 18. TOTALS: 23 (0) 8-12 54.

MHS (42)

Palmer 1 2, Little 7 (1) 7-12 24, Cooper 2 0-3 4, Day 3 2-6 8, Blythe 1 2-2 4. TOTALS: 14 (1) 11-25 42.