By DONN ADAMSON\Daily Journal Sports Editor

Published: Sunday, November 19, 2006
Updated: Saturday, November 18, 2006 11:14 PM CST

PARK HILLS - The Mineral Area Lady Cardinals pulled off a win in their first game of the Rosener's Classic, but on the second day their offense sputtered and the result was a split of their two games.

In Friday's game against the Fort Scott Lady Greyhounds, the two teams played even basketball for the most part, but patience good shot selection gave the Lady Cardinals the edge in the second half of play and they were able to pull out a 42-36 win.

Fort Scott made five three-pointers to Mineral Area's two to make a game of it, but the Lady Cardinals shot 65 percent in the second half to keep the lead which they developed after starting the half behind 35-31.

Sarah Fraser-Jones led MAC in scoring with 21 points. Jones was 9-12 from the floor and 2-2 from the line. Karolina Zaloga was next at 14 points, and Leandra Sands scored 10. Amber Cunningham scored nine, Fran Henderson and Nikki Mitchell both scored six points, Lesley Adams made five and Dawn Leathers added two more.

Fort Scott's Keisha Walker scored 24 points to lead all scorers, and Shardae Jones made 16.

In Saturday's game the Lady Cardinals took on Hutchinson, Kansas and could not keep up with the Blue Dragons hot shooting from beyond the arc. Hutchinson made five three-pointers to take a 12 point lead at the half and went on to a 51-39 win over MAC.

Tessa Morrow made three threes in the first half on way to her game leading 16 points. Nicki Kasl hit two more threes for the Blue Dragons in the first half. Mineral Area's only answer to the three bombardment was Lesley Adams inside for four baskets and a free throw.

Hutchinson quieted their three-point shooting in the second half , but they did not need it as they matched the Lady Cardinals free-throw for free throw and basket for basket whenever the defenses allowed.

Adams added one more basket to her total to lead the Lady Cardinals in scoring with 11. Sands scored 10 points, Cunningham made five, Jones and Mitchell had four points each, Zaloga had three and Henderson sank a pair of free throws.

The Lady Cardinals are now 4-2 and will play next on Wednesday at home against Forest Park.