Lady Swathers edge Trojans for season's first league loss
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports Writer
Even after having their unbeaten streak in conference play snapped Friday night with a 44-42 loss at Hesston, there are still plenty of reasons for the Lady Trojans to feel good.
As of this week, with home games set for Tuesday against Collegiate, and Friday against Sterling, the Trojans (11-3, 8-1) still were at the top of the MCAA.
The Sterling game will tip-off at about 6 p.m.
Against Hesston, Lady Trojan coach Dale Honeck saw his team shoot a frigid 26 percent from the floor when the game was on the line the second half, and only 33 for the game.
"We knew it (the game) was going to be close," he said. "I don't have a lot of second guesses right now, we tried as many things as we could and nothing worked any better and our shooting wasn't very good. We did not shoot well. They were ready for us."
The trouble began 35 seconds into the game when JuliAnne Chisholm picked up her second foul. Chisholm would go on to score a game-high 14 points despite finishing with four fouls. But cold shooting dimmed Hillsboro's chances at ever building a lead.
The Swathers led by as many as six twice in the game, flourishing from a 40 percent night shooting from long range and 46 percent from the floor.
Senior Tina Frick was hampered with foul trouble, too, but she sent the Trojans in at halftime with a 26-24 lead.
That marked the third and final time the Trojans led with Hesston able to stay in control with the aid of Hillsboro's errant shooting.
Under tough Trojan defense, Hesston managed a mere field goal the fourth quarter.
Samantha Soyez's three from NBA-range gave the Trojans a chance to win, knotting the game at 42-42 with about 1:00 left.
But Lauren Raleigh sank the winning free throws for Hesston with :10 left. Chisholm's shot just before the buzzer bounced off the left of the rim to preserve the Swather victory.
"We're still in the lead in the conference," Honeck said. "We see these girls again, it'll be a sub-state game. Our girls don't have anything to be ashamed of, we'll keep our heads up, it's a loss. It was a good basketball game."
