Lady Cards Give it Up to Jags

WAITSBURG - The Lady Cards gave up a promising first-quarter lead against Tri-Cities Prep in home-court league play Sat­urday afternoon, ultimately dropping the game to the Jags, 41-34.

The Cards took it to the hole four times in the first quarter and made three of four foul shots to take an 11-7 first-quarter lead. Eight of those points were by high scorer Chelsey Brannock. Loegan Harshman made the only other field goal in quarter one.

Turnovers to the Jags along with made free throws put them by eight points by halftime. The only WP score in quarter two was a bucket by Hannah Grant, made in the final seconds, and clos­ing the quarter at 21-13, in the Jags favor.

"Their ball handlers kept picking up our dribbles and we never really got the chance to execute our plays," said WP Coach Brittany Ayers-Stamper.

The third quarter took off quick, with four baskets in the first minute - two for the Jags and two for WP. TCP scored in the first five seconds, followed by goals from WP's Heidi Miller and Brannock, making half the quarter's baskets in the first 60 seconds. Another bucket by the Jags brought the score to 25-17 (Jags) and wrapped up minute one. Another bas­ket by Brannock and one by Kassidy Kuykendall ended quarter three, with the Jags up 30-21.

WP fought foul trouble throughout the match. Sa­mantha Fedderson fouled out in the final quarter and Brannock and Miller ended the game with four fouls each. "It's hard to play hard when you can't really run the court," said JV Coach Rob­bie Johnson.

Brannock scored seven points in the fourth, followed by one goal each from Kuyk­endall and Miller. With 1:33 left on the clock, Brannock made a three point bucket, then stole the ball back be­fore it left the key to make her third basket. Kuykendall made both of her free throw attempts, making a total of 13 points for WP in the final quarter and ending the game 41-34, Jags.

"We played fairly good defense, but just couldn't bring the ball up," said Ayers-Stamper. "We should have won."

Brannock made more than half of WP's points with 19. Kuykendall was next in line with 7, followed by Miller with 4, and Harshman and Grant with 2 each.

The Lady Cards will face DeSales in an away match on Friday at 6 p.m., followed by a home game against the Dayton Bulldogs on Satur­day at 5 p.m.