Packer girls use defense to beat Spartans
Published 11:06 pm Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Austin’s Ruth Koang posts up against Rochester Mayo’s Anna Winter in Ove Berven Gym Tuesday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
The Packers showed how good they can be when they play solid defense in Ove Berven Gym Tuesday night.
Austin’s Sydney Murphy tries to beat Rochester Mayo’s Hannah Larson to a loose ball in Ove Berven Gym Tuesday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Austin tallied 16 steals and forced 23 Spartan turnovers as it rolled to a 51-42 win over Rochester Mayo (9-11 overall, 7-6 Big Nine).
“I thought the defense played really well,” Austin head coach Todd Johnson said. “We really played great team defense. Everybody we put out there was getting after it tonight.”
Austin trailed 25-21 at the half, but it cranked up its intensity in the second half. The Packers (6-11 overall, 4-8 Big Nine) opened the second half on a 14-3 run over eight minutes to put them up 35-28.
Austin led by as many as 13 and Mayo never got closer than five the rest of the way.
Austin sophomore Shayley Vesel made it a point to put the focus on defense and she delivered with 13 points and six steals.
“Mer [Gach] and I talked before the game about going hard on defense,” Vesel said. “We haven’t beaten Mayo in years, so it feels good to get this win.”
Gach had a big game as she finished with 17 points, eight rebounds, three steals and three assists and Austin freshman Ruth Koang continued to make big strides as she finished with eight points, six rebounds and four blocks.
Johnson liked how his team closed out the game and he hopes his squad is starting to learn how good it can be.
“Hopefully we learned that we can be a very good team,” Johnson said. “I know our record doesn’t say that, but we think we can be a very good team that can make something happen.”
The first half was back and forth and Mayo took a 25-18 lead when Courtney Hruska converted a 4-point play and hit a 3-pointer in a 30-second stretch.
Gach responded with a 3-pointer that made it a 25-21 game near the end of the half.
Austin 21 30 — 51
Austin’s Shayley Vesel goes up for a layup against Rochester Mayo in Ove Berven Gym Tuesday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Mayo 25 17 — 42
Austin scoring: Mer Gach, 17; Shayley Vesel, 13; Ruth Koang, 8; Merideth Fritz, 6; Sydney Murphy, 3; Alex Hansen, 2; Kelsey Sederquest, 2; field goals: 42 percent (22-for-52); 3-pointers: 33 percent (2-for-6); free throws: 63 percent (5-for-8); rebounds: 24 (Gach, 9); turnovers: 18
