Lady Cardinals show tons of improvement in one week
By DONN ADAMSON\Daily Journal Sports Editor
Jan 19, 2006 - 11:49:47 CST
PARK HILLS - The Mineral Area Cardinals may not have won their game on Wednesday against the Jefferson College Lady Vikings, but they gave the 19th-ranked team in the nation a run for their money before finally falling 58-53.
The game was much different than last week's game between the same two teams on Jeffco's floor. The Lady Cardinals were run over and flattened for a 36-point loss to the Lady Vikings. There would be no runaway by Jeffco on Wednesday, the Lady Cardinals made sure of that.
Playing a zone defense and boxing out on rebounds took away Jeffco's ability to score easily inside. A Mineral Area player was there to challenge each Lady Viking that tried to penetrate to the basket as teammates cut off the passing lane at the same time to create 22 turnovers by the Lady Vikings.
In last week's game Jeffco pulled down 14 offensive rebounds that resulted in 20 second-chance points. In Wednesday's game Mineral Area cut Jeffco's boards down to eight, resulting in only four points on putbacks. Erica Anderson led MAC in rebounding with eight, and Sommer McCauley led Jeffco with the same number.
For the most part, statistic-wise, the Lady Cardinals played very even ball with the Lady Vikings and as time dwindled down in the game it became apparent it could be a win for either team. The only major difference came at the free-throw line where the Lady Cardinals were only 2-6 and Jeffco was 11-13.
Both teams spread their scoring around with eight players scoring points for both teams. Dionn Jackson led MAC with 11 points, and Elzbieta Mukosiej led Jeffco with 12. Both girls wore No. 10.
Mineral Area came up dry on their last three trips down the floor, and Karolina Zaloga made the go-ahead basket Jeffco needed with less than a minute left in the game. A steal by Ashley Cornett that resulted in her breaking free for two more points made it a three-point game. Two free throws by Kandy Beemer iced it in the final seconds.
Last week the Lady Cardinals had fallen behind early in the game, 18-3, but this time it would be the Lady Cardinals who held the early lead and would keep it until the end of the first half.
The Lady Vikings scored first with 2-3 free throws off of a foul by Mineral Area's DeAnna Anderson. Anderson made up for it by coming down and scoring MAC's first points with a 20-footer to give the Lady Cardinals their first lead.
Jeffco found Mineral Area's defense much tougher and the Lady Cardinals opened up a double digit lead halfway through the first half. Jeffco would pull to within six points, but a three by Whitney Washington and a three by Dionn Jackson stretched the lead out to 12.
Jeffco showed its national ranking as it went on a 17-3 run in the last three minutes which included two threes by Beemer, the last at the buzzer for a 27-25 Jeffco lead.
The Lady Cardinals would get the lead back quickly as the second half started. Erica Anderson hit a three for MAC to tie the game at 33-33, which would start a 7-0 run. The two teams would battle back and forth for most of the second half with several lead changes.
The Lady Vikings began to click on offense late in the game, but two straight baskets by Nikki Mitchell kept the Lady Cardinals at even keel with the visitors at 48-48. Washington would hit her third three to give Mineral Area the lead, but Jeffco answered with two baskets to take the lead. The two teams would trade the lead one last time, before the Lady Vikings' closing statements.
Mineral Area is now 10-6 and will have even a tougher match-up this Saturday at home when 9th-ranked Moberly comes to town. The Lady Cardinals game will start at 5 p.m. with the men also playing Moberly at 7 p.m.
Jefferson 27 31 - 58
Mineral Area 25 28 - 53
Jefferson - Mukosiej 12, Beemer 10, McCauley 10, Cheeks 7, Zaloga 7, Cornett 6, Trumblee 4, Haegele 2.
Mineral Area - Jackson 11, Washington 10, E Anderson 8, Henderson 8, D Anderson 5, Rios 5, Mitchell 4, Golphin 2.
3-Pointers: Washington 3, Beemer 2, Cheeks, E Anderson, D Anderson, Jackson, Rios.
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The game was much different than last week's game between the same two teams on Jeffco's floor. The Lady Cardinals were run over and flattened for a 36-point loss to the Lady Vikings. There would be no runaway by Jeffco on Wednesday, the Lady Cardinals made sure of that.
Playing a zone defense and boxing out on rebounds took away Jeffco's ability to score easily inside. A Mineral Area player was there to challenge each Lady Viking that tried to penetrate to the basket as teammates cut off the passing lane at the same time to create 22 turnovers by the Lady Vikings.
In last week's game Jeffco pulled down 14 offensive rebounds that resulted in 20 second-chance points. In Wednesday's game Mineral Area cut Jeffco's boards down to eight, resulting in only four points on putbacks. Erica Anderson led MAC in rebounding with eight, and Sommer McCauley led Jeffco with the same number.
For the most part, statistic-wise, the Lady Cardinals played very even ball with the Lady Vikings and as time dwindled down in the game it became apparent it could be a win for either team. The only major difference came at the free-throw line where the Lady Cardinals were only 2-6 and Jeffco was 11-13.
Both teams spread their scoring around with eight players scoring points for both teams. Dionn Jackson led MAC with 11 points, and Elzbieta Mukosiej led Jeffco with 12. Both girls wore No. 10.
Mineral Area came up dry on their last three trips down the floor, and Karolina Zaloga made the go-ahead basket Jeffco needed with less than a minute left in the game. A steal by Ashley Cornett that resulted in her breaking free for two more points made it a three-point game. Two free throws by Kandy Beemer iced it in the final seconds.
Last week the Lady Cardinals had fallen behind early in the game, 18-3, but this time it would be the Lady Cardinals who held the early lead and would keep it until the end of the first half.
The Lady Vikings scored first with 2-3 free throws off of a foul by Mineral Area's DeAnna Anderson. Anderson made up for it by coming down and scoring MAC's first points with a 20-footer to give the Lady Cardinals their first lead.
Jeffco found Mineral Area's defense much tougher and the Lady Cardinals opened up a double digit lead halfway through the first half. Jeffco would pull to within six points, but a three by Whitney Washington and a three by Dionn Jackson stretched the lead out to 12.
Jeffco showed its national ranking as it went on a 17-3 run in the last three minutes which included two threes by Beemer, the last at the buzzer for a 27-25 Jeffco lead.
The Lady Cardinals would get the lead back quickly as the second half started. Erica Anderson hit a three for MAC to tie the game at 33-33, which would start a 7-0 run. The two teams would battle back and forth for most of the second half with several lead changes.
The Lady Vikings began to click on offense late in the game, but two straight baskets by Nikki Mitchell kept the Lady Cardinals at even keel with the visitors at 48-48. Washington would hit her third three to give Mineral Area the lead, but Jeffco answered with two baskets to take the lead. The two teams would trade the lead one last time, before the Lady Vikings' closing statements.
Mineral Area is now 10-6 and will have even a tougher match-up this Saturday at home when 9th-ranked Moberly comes to town. The Lady Cardinals game will start at 5 p.m. with the men also playing Moberly at 7 p.m.
Jefferson 27 31 - 58
Mineral Area 25 28 - 53
Jefferson - Mukosiej 12, Beemer 10, McCauley 10, Cheeks 7, Zaloga 7, Cornett 6, Trumblee 4, Haegele 2.
Mineral Area - Jackson 11, Washington 10, E Anderson 8, Henderson 8, D Anderson 5, Rios 5, Mitchell 4, Golphin 2.
3-Pointers: Washington 3, Beemer 2, Cheeks, E Anderson, D Anderson, Jackson, Rios.