With a team full of scorers that can put up big numbers on any given night, it’s been the Lady Marshals defensive effort that has impressed in the last few games. Playing Louisville Mercy from the 6th Region in Saturday’s Hoopfest game, the Lady Marshals held the Jaguars to their lowest point total this season in the 53-32 win.
“It was our defensive effort tonight that really stands out to me”, Coach Aaron Beth said. “They’ve only been held under 40 points once all year at 39. Every other game they’ve scored 50 or more so for us to hold them to 32…12 in the second half. It shows that our girls are really buying in to what we need to do defensively.”
A 3-pointer to open the game by Mercy’s Emma Barnett would be their only lead of the game. Three’s from Layne Pea and Jada Driver quickly put the Lady Marshals up 6-3, the start of a 15-0 run that ended on Barnett’s second 3-pointer.
Leading 22-13 at the end of the first quarter, the Lady Marshals seven second quarter points – five scored by Halle Langhi – were equaled by Mercy to take a 9-point lead into the halftime break.
Langhi opened the second half with a 3-pointer followed by another three from Presley Jezik and the lead was 15. Mercy was held to just two third quarter points – both from the free throw line – while the Lady Marshals lead stretched to 44-22.
Conner, Langhi, Driver and Sophie Galloway combined for nine of the Lady Marshals fourth quarter points in the 21-point victory.
“It was a challenging team”, Beth said. “I really didn’t know on film exactly how we were going to match up because they are so big. We didn’t play a single possession of man to man tonight. Our girls are doing really good at adjusting to what we need to do based on what the other team is. So being able to play that zone and doing a good job with Halle and Sophie inside. To hold their bigs to not hardly any points and to get as many blocks…just extremely proud of how we’re coming along.”
Led by Langhi with 18 points and 12 from Galloway, the Lady Marshals extended their win streak to 14 straight and improve to 14-1. They will look for win number 15 when they play Webster County in Sunday’s 1:00 Hoopfest game.
Mercy 13 7 2 10 – 32
Marshall 22 7 15 9 – 53
Mercy: Crippin 8, Smith 6, Price 6, Barnett 6, Thompson 6
Marshall: Langhi 18, Galloway 12, Pea 8, Conner 7, Driver 5, Jezik 3
Marshall: FG 21/42, 3 Pt 5/13 (Pea 2/3), FT 6/9 (Langhi 3/3), Reb 27 (Langhi 10, Galloway 8)
