IAC GIRLS BASKETBALL: SLOW START PLAGUES S-VE IN LOSS TO O-M (14 PHOTOS) (2018-12-07)

Tioga County Sports Report
SPENCER - S-VE struggled early in Friday's IAC South Small School clash with Odessa-Montour, a team which can be difficult to rally against. The Indians shut down their host early and used a 15-5 second-quarter run to post a 41-25 win.

Both teams struggled to find the bottom of the net for nearly half the first period, then Alexis Sanders and Sara Gardner knocked down a 3-pointer apiece to give O-M a 6-0 lead heading into the second quarter.

The Indians would increase they advantage to 14-0 before S-VE could break its scoreless start. Madelynn Pasto sank a trey with 4:37 left in the half and Tara Perkins added a basket as S-VE got on the scoreboard. Olivia Grover accounted for eight second-quarter points for O-M as it took a 21-5 lead into halftime.

"We really struggled to shoot ... and it was really tough to figure out that 1-3-1 (zone defense)," S-VE head coach Abby Gentile said. "They're trying to figure things out on the fly. Once they were able to take it out, go over it a little bit, I think they did a better job with it in the second half to the point where they changed out and went to a 2-3, which we were a little more comfortable with."

Paige Grube scored five points early in the third to trim the lead to 21-10. Odessa would respond with an 8-0 run which ended on a Hannah Harmon basket.

The Indians would increase the lead to 34-14 in the fourth quarter, then Madison Sousa and Grube would each sink a trey in the fourth to close within 34-20. S-VE cut the gap to 13 late in the game, but could get no closer.

"Again, they're reacting, they're responding, they're trying," Gentile said. "The only thing I can think is if. that intensity level can be held on defense all game long, the offense will come I have girls that can shoot. It will come along."

Gentile said it was a much improved performance over the previous game, although she also acknowledged there's still more work to be done.

"We were more calm," she said. "Last game, it seemed like the whole game we were chaotic, whereas today we had moments of chaos, then we were able to regroup, keep poor heads in the game.

"Probably the biggest improvement, besides our intensity level, was our defensive rebounding. Against Newfield, we gave up a ton of offensive rebounds, which caused us to have foul trouble, which caused them to get layups. Today, the girls really got in there and they wanted the ball."

Grube led the Panthers with eight points and six rebounds. Perkins had four points, Abbie Kellogg had three points and eight boards, Sousa added three points, two assists and two steals, Pasto contributed three points and Ava Bruehwiler chipped in with two points, four steals and three assists.

Grover led O-M (2-1) with 13 points, Kennedy Heichel contributed 10, Saunders added nine and Gardner pitched in with six.

S-VE (0-2) visits Edison Tuesday.

JV