To start the game, the Shamrocks and Wildcats battled it out for two minutes before each team finally began adding points to the board. To end the first quarter, the Shamrocks took the lead 7 to 4. However, the Wildcats set the pace during the second quarter. The Shamrocks had opportunities to score, but the shots would not fall. To end the half, senior Molly Munsinger shot a three and pulled the score to two. The Wildcats held the lead 13 to 11.
After the half, the Shamrocks came out ready to play. Mackenzy Vedder stated, “I thought that if we came out stronger than we did in the first half, we would win, considering we won the other two times we played them. Senior Carlie Steinbeck picked up another charge, as well. Early on, the Shamrocks took the lead and turned the score around. New Haven found ways to look up the court,find the open girl, and begin making shots.
Senior Megan Shockley fouled out with roughly two minutes left in the game. The Wildcats, desperate for the ball, began fouling the Shamrocks, forcing them to the line. To end the second half of the game, the Shamrocks continued to hold the lead and won the game 42 to 34. Leading scorers for the Shamrocks were Molly Munsinger, with ten points and two steals; Erin Scheer, with nine points and three steals; and Kayla Borcherding, with five points and three offensive rebounds. Mackenzy Vedder also had two steals.
The Shamrocks’ next game was against Owensville. The Dutchgirls were a challenge for the Shamrocks in Wednesday night’s second round game. Owensville outscored the Shamrocks 20 to 5 in the first quarter and took the lead 37 to 9 at the end of the first half. The Dutchgirls played the Shamrocks in a full court press, which put a lot of pressure on the ball handlers for New Haven. They also played a tough match up defense. Mackenzy Vedder, however, was able to get open and shot a deep two pointer, drawing a foul on the play. She was unable to make her free throw, however. She ended the night with four points. Kayla Borcherding went 3 from 4 in the field, ending the night with 6 points. When discussing the Owensville game with Mackenzy Vedder, she said, “ I think we can play with them better the next time we play them.”
In the second half of the game, Lindsey Nixon came in eager to shoot. Although she was 25% from the field, her energy sparked the other players to swing the ball around the perimeter quickly, which allowed the Shamrocks to find the open girl against Owensville’s zone defense . Maddie Fleer was able to get past her defender and snag three offensive rebounds. The Shamrocks battled back but were unable to defeat the Dutchgirls, losing 54-24.
The Shamrocks would then play Hermann Friday night in the third place game. The game started with Hermann gaining the lead early on. The Shamrocks battled, but Hermann’s tight man defense made it hard for New Haven to set up plays. Hermann took the lead 13 to 6 in the first quarter and continued to hold the lead the whole game. Senior Carlie Steinbeck picked up another charge as well. Juniors Emma Borcherding and Erin Scheer each had three assists, and seniors Megan Shockley and Kayla Borcherding were the top two scorers. When asked about the game, Hannah Kruse said, “Carlie’s charge was my favorite part.” The Bearcats won the game 53 to 28. The Shamrocks and Bearcats will have another opportunity to play each other in a few weeks, on Hermann’s court, for a regular season game.
-by Molly Munsinger