Lady Lions unable to rally past Ripley
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
LEESBURG — The improvement from one year to now is evident in the play of the Fairfield Lady Lions … the problem is they are still looking for their first win. That win didn't come Monday evening as they battled tough and got close, but it wasn't enough as they fell to the Ripley Lady Blue Jays, 51-41.
The loss at Grandle Gymnasium puts FHS 0-5 overall, but they did make the game close, even cutting the Ripley lead to six points in the fourth and as low as four points with 4:30 left in the third, but they just could never get over the hump to tie the game.
"At the half, we talked about cutting down their 10-point lead, and we did," Fairfield head coach Matt Hodson said. "I told the girls I wanted them to come out strong, and after three minutes in the third, Coach Vance looked at me and said 'you got what you wanted.'
"Playing like we did, against a team like Ripley, makes them realize we can play against good teams and compete against teams at the caliber of Ripley because they are a good team."
[[In-content Ad]]FHS junior Heather Cox led all scorers with a double-double by gaining 26 points and collecting 17 rebounds, including seven offensive rebounds. Cox scored the final eight points of the game for the Lady Lions, and in the third, the junior scored 11 consecutive Lady Lion points.
Cox also totaled three steals as she has scored a double-double each game this season.
"Heather's averaging a double-double, and she's getting better each game," Hodson said. "She's getting better at looking at the court and getting better at playing against a double team.
"She's just improved as a player each time out."
The Lady Lions made the score close at the conclusion of the first quarter by rallying back following a 4-0 deficit to take a 5-4 lead with points by Cox, Lydia Sowders and Justice Hattan.
Sowders totaled six points and nine rebounds, while Hattan and Haley Bobb each had four assists. Hattan also totaled three steals. Bobb also finished with six points and Hattan with three.
From the field, FHS shot 33 percent (18-of-54), and RHS shot 45 percent.
The score was also tied at seven (in the opening quarter) by Cox, but a 3-point play from Ripley's Brianna Payne and four points to end the first by Tori Boone put RHS ahead by five points at 15-10.
From that point on, the Lady Blue Jays never trailed as they built a 10-point lead off a 3-pointer by Jessica Garrison and a steal and layup by Haley Payne for a 20-10 lead with 6:34 left in the first half.
Garrison led RHS with 19 points, followed by Niya Royal with 15 points.
A 3-pointer by Bobb brought FHS closer, cutting the score to a seven-point deficit, but later on, the RHS lead turned to 14 points with 2:28 left on the clock.
The Lady Lions ended the second with six straight points off a put back by Cox, along with a jumper and a fast break layup by Kaitlin Evans.
In the third, FHS scored the first four points for a 10-0 run from the end of the second and to the start of the third, bringing FHS to within five points of tying the score at 29-25 with 6:28 on the third-quarter clock.
Later in the third, Cox had a three-point play to cut an RHS lead from nine to six, and FHS ended the third with points off an inbounds pass layup by Cox, then another layup from Cox, again cut the RHS lead to six.
In the fourth, Bobb made another 3-pointer, and Sowders scored on a put back to make it a six-point game.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Garrison put the game away for RHS, increasing the Lady Blue Jay lead to 14 points with 2:20 on the clock. Garrison totaled five 3-pointers in the game, three in the fourth.
FHS totaled 26 turnovers, and RHS had 23. FHS also collected 36 rebounds.
"We still need to cut down our turnovers, and we were 11-of-29 on layups, so that needs to improve, too," Hodson said. "We are still working and practicing hard."
In JV play, FHS fell 50-13. Leading FHS was Shaylee Carson with six points. For RHS, Alyssa Cornelius finished with 13 points and Kristen Abbott with 12.
The Lady Lions will play again on Thursday when they host North Adams.
The loss at Grandle Gymnasium puts FHS 0-5 overall, but they did make the game close, even cutting the Ripley lead to six points in the fourth and as low as four points with 4:30 left in the third, but they just could never get over the hump to tie the game.
"At the half, we talked about cutting down their 10-point lead, and we did," Fairfield head coach Matt Hodson said. "I told the girls I wanted them to come out strong, and after three minutes in the third, Coach Vance looked at me and said 'you got what you wanted.'
"Playing like we did, against a team like Ripley, makes them realize we can play against good teams and compete against teams at the caliber of Ripley because they are a good team."
[[In-content Ad]]FHS junior Heather Cox led all scorers with a double-double by gaining 26 points and collecting 17 rebounds, including seven offensive rebounds. Cox scored the final eight points of the game for the Lady Lions, and in the third, the junior scored 11 consecutive Lady Lion points.
Cox also totaled three steals as she has scored a double-double each game this season.
"Heather's averaging a double-double, and she's getting better each game," Hodson said. "She's getting better at looking at the court and getting better at playing against a double team.
"She's just improved as a player each time out."
The Lady Lions made the score close at the conclusion of the first quarter by rallying back following a 4-0 deficit to take a 5-4 lead with points by Cox, Lydia Sowders and Justice Hattan.
Sowders totaled six points and nine rebounds, while Hattan and Haley Bobb each had four assists. Hattan also totaled three steals. Bobb also finished with six points and Hattan with three.
From the field, FHS shot 33 percent (18-of-54), and RHS shot 45 percent.
The score was also tied at seven (in the opening quarter) by Cox, but a 3-point play from Ripley's Brianna Payne and four points to end the first by Tori Boone put RHS ahead by five points at 15-10.
From that point on, the Lady Blue Jays never trailed as they built a 10-point lead off a 3-pointer by Jessica Garrison and a steal and layup by Haley Payne for a 20-10 lead with 6:34 left in the first half.
Garrison led RHS with 19 points, followed by Niya Royal with 15 points.
A 3-pointer by Bobb brought FHS closer, cutting the score to a seven-point deficit, but later on, the RHS lead turned to 14 points with 2:28 left on the clock.
The Lady Lions ended the second with six straight points off a put back by Cox, along with a jumper and a fast break layup by Kaitlin Evans.
In the third, FHS scored the first four points for a 10-0 run from the end of the second and to the start of the third, bringing FHS to within five points of tying the score at 29-25 with 6:28 on the third-quarter clock.
Later in the third, Cox had a three-point play to cut an RHS lead from nine to six, and FHS ended the third with points off an inbounds pass layup by Cox, then another layup from Cox, again cut the RHS lead to six.
In the fourth, Bobb made another 3-pointer, and Sowders scored on a put back to make it a six-point game.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Garrison put the game away for RHS, increasing the Lady Blue Jay lead to 14 points with 2:20 on the clock. Garrison totaled five 3-pointers in the game, three in the fourth.
FHS totaled 26 turnovers, and RHS had 23. FHS also collected 36 rebounds.
"We still need to cut down our turnovers, and we were 11-of-29 on layups, so that needs to improve, too," Hodson said. "We are still working and practicing hard."
In JV play, FHS fell 50-13. Leading FHS was Shaylee Carson with six points. For RHS, Alyssa Cornelius finished with 13 points and Kristen Abbott with 12.
The Lady Lions will play again on Thursday when they host North Adams.