After starting the season with four consecutive losses, the Trico Lady Pioneers seem to have things turned around following a 45-30 win over New Athens Tuesday to improve to 2-4.
“We are a young team and we are starting two freshmen,” said Trico coach Steve Vogt. “We knew it would take some time. Early in the season, we had trouble taking care of the basketball and we were just forcing things. In these past two games, we have been more patient and we are shooting the ball much better.”
New Athens showed early that they wanted to take the inside game away from Trico and have several defenders around senior Beth Daniels at all times.
The move paid off as Daniels had just two points in the opening quarter, but junior Kendra Williams knocked down two three-pointers to lead her team to a 9-4 advantage.
Williams made two more three-pointers in the second quarter, as Trico increased its lead to 19-8 with 3:25 remaining in the first half.
Instead of being able to pull away, Daniels picked up her second foul and sat the next several minutes on the bench. New Athens took full advantage of having the 6’0 forward out of the game and ended the half with a 10-3 run to trail only 22-18 at the break.
Freshman Ashley Modglin started the third quarter with two baskets and Williams’ fifth three-pointer of the game gave the Lady Pioneers a 29-21 lead.
The hot shooting didn’t continue for Trico and the team missed its next six shots. New Athens closed out the third quarter with a 5-0 run to cut the deficit to three, 29-26 heading into the fourth.
The Trico defense made the difference in the fourth holding New Athens to only four points while causing seven turnovers. The Lady Pioneers outscored New Athens 16-4 over the final eight minutes to pull away for the 15-point win.
“I told the girls before the start of the fourth, that if we want this game we need to go get it and put it away,” said Vogt. “Our defense is really getting better and they stepped it up in the fourth.”
Williams finished with a game-high 17 points to pace Trico.
“Kendra really lit it up tonight,” said Vogt. “She has shot the ball well the last two games. With teams giving so much attention to Beth inside, we need Kendra and others to knock down shots, and that’s starting to happen.”
Modglin and Daniels each finished with eight points for the Lady Pioneers. Trico is in action Monday night at Zeigler-Royalton.