By DONN ADAMSON / Daily Journal Sports Editor

Published: Sunday, February 05, 2006
Updated: Sunday, February 5, 2006 12:07 AM CST

PARK HILLS - The Mineral Area Lady Cardinals took the lead late in their ball game with the Crowder Lady Riders, but the visiting team scored last handing the Lady Cardinals a 65-62 loss.

Neicole Whitiker drove to the basket with 2:58 left in the game, drawing a foul by Crowder's 6'3” center Regiane Araujo. Whitiker made both free throws to give the Lady Cardinals their first lead of the second half at 61-60, but even greater was the fact that it was Araujo's fifth foul.

Araujo fouled out having already scored 25 points. Araujo's size dominated the inside play of the game with rebounding and blocked shots. Araujo had left the game with four fouls, and upon returning had scored all of Crowder's last seven points before fouling out.

MAC tied the game at 62-62, and Crowder called time-out with 1:03 on the clock to strategize their next shot. The play set up Megan Archuleta on the right wing and she drilled a three-pointer for the lead. The Lady Cardinals did not panic, but did turn the ball over for the 20th time in the game.

Crowder tried running the shot clock down, and was more than successful as it went off before the shot was released, turning the ball back over to MAC with 13 seconds left. The Lady Cardinals tried to get an open shot at a three, but finally called time with 3.4 seconds left on the clock to set up a play. Their final shot off of the inbound was a forced try that was off the mark.

Crowder's Karina Trindade had the hot hand early in the game, hitting three threes, and Araujo took care of things inside with three baskets and four free-throws for 10 points.

Mineral Area had the answer for the three-pointers, making four of their own in the first half, but there was no answer for Araujo, and Crowder jumped out to a 25-17 lead with seven minutes left in the half.

The Lady Cardinals tried to push the ball up the floor to outrun the Lady Riders, but it had no effect as Crowder was able to keep its lead until the 38-31 half.

Crowder began to stretch out their lead with the inside play of Araujo. The Lady Cardinals blocked out the taller player from rebounds, but Murray and Trindade pulled down everything but the basket itself, and the lead soon grew to 12 points, 50-38. It would be the largest lead of the game for either team.

Mineral Area's forcing the pace began to pay off as the half reached the midway point. The Lady Cardinals trimmed the lead to six points off of Crowder's consistent turnovers. When Araujo exited with her fourth foul, the quickness of the Lady Cardinals really took over and Crowder's lead shrank to two.

Araujo reentered with 6:20 still left on the clock, and Mineral Area began to drive the lane, resulting in free trips to the line. The Lady Cardinals had made five straight free throws before Whitiker's two lead-makers and Araujo's fouling out.

The Lady Cardinals could not capitalize, even though Crowder gave them plenty of opportunities. The Lady Riders turned the ball over 21 times in the second half, but Mineral Area had its trouble connecting, going 9-29 from the field in the half after an 11-19 first half. Eleven players scored points in the game for Mineral Area.

Mineral Area's next game will be on Wednesday at Forest Park.

Crowder 38 27 - 65

MAC 31 31 - 62

Crowder - Araujo 25, Murray 11, Archuleta 11, Trindade 11, Mailes 3, Davis 2, Moreland 1, League 1.

Mineral Area - E Anderson 12, Whitiker 7, Sublett 7, Leathers 7, Rios 7, Jackson 6, Golphin 6, Hollins 4, Mitchell 3, Rozenfeld 2, D Anderson.

3-Pointers: Trindade 3, Archuleta 2, Mailes, E Anderson, Whitiker, Rios, Sublett, Leathers.