G-H/V girls drop a game in double OT

It was a tough week for the Garner-Hayfield/Ventura girls, as they dropped two close contests, one in double overtime. 

North Union 39, G-H/V 37

You know it’s a closely matched game when it takes two overtimes to determine a winner.  Unfortunately, the Cardinals were the unlucky ones to come up on the bottom of a tightly balanced showdown with North Union on Tuesday, Nov. 27. 

North Union jumped to an early 10-5 first quarter lead, but G-H/V fought back in the second quarter and trailed by three going into halftime, 15-12.

The third quarter saw even scoring with each team collecting 12 points.  The Cardinals outscored the Warriors in the fourth quarter 8-5, to end the game in a 32-32 tie.

The Cardinals went into overtime without two of their key players.  The team lost Maddie Tusha at the end of regulation and Shelby Rayhons in the first OT.  

Each team only scored three points in the first OT, but in the second OT North Union scored four points to G-H/V’s two for the final 39-37.

“Again our free-throw shooting haunted us, as we were 8/22,” said Coach Matt Erpelding.  “The girls battled hard and we had chances to win the game a couple of different times.”

The Cardinals had balanced scoring with Bri Bier and Tusha each collecting eight points apiece and Rayhons and Mackenzie Haag contributing seven and six points respectively.  Rounding out the scoring was Hannah Hutcheson with five, Sydney Younge with two and Emily Spilman collected one point.

Haag and Courtney Younge led the team in rebounds with six apiece. Bier, Hutcheson and Rayhons each had four rebounds.  Collecting three rebounds apiece were Sydney Younge, Spilman and Tiara Van Gerpen.

Collecting two steals apiece were Tusha, Haag and Hutcheson.

Bier, Haag and Courtney Younge each blocked a shot.

Bier led the team in assists with five.

West Fork 33, G-H/V 25

It was another hard fought battle that didn’t end in the Cardinals’ favor, as they fell to West Fork, 33-25, on Friday, Dec. 1.

“This game was a real struggle for us on the offensive end,” said Coach Matt Erpelding.  “We were also down four girls who were out with injuries, but we have players capable of stepping in and replacing them. I don’t want to make excuses, but it’s tough to be shorthanded.”

The Cardinals opened strong and garnered an 11-4 lead, before West Fork settled down and picked up their defensive pressure on the ball.  By halftime, the Warhawks had a 19-11 lead.

A 12-minute scoring drought didn’t help G-H/V’s effort.  Late in the game, the Cardinals cut the lead to 27-23, but West Fork responded with a three-point shot and G-H/V lost their momentum and the game, 33-25.

“We need to be strong and aggressive with the ball when defenders - Read More via e-Edition