Free throws the difference in Hampshire loss
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Free throws made the difference.
Woodstock North led almost all the way, then survived a furious late rally to defeat Hampshire, 43-40, in Fox Valley Conference Fox Division girls basketball action in Hampshire Tuesday night.
Down by 6, the Whip-Purs converted steals on consecutive possessions into 5 points to get within 1 on Jenny Dumoulin's 3-pointer. After Woodstock answered with a free throw, Hampshire got to the line with a chance to tie but missed the first of the one-and-one. Samantha Ahr then added a free throw for the final margin.
Both teams made nine 2-pointers and four 3-pointers. But Woodstock North made 3 more free throws. Hampshire made just 10 of 21 from the foul line and missed the front ends of 3 straight one-and-ones in the second quarter.
"In the first half they outrebounded us, they out-hustled us," said Hampshire coach Ed Haugens. "The first half they outplayed us basically. But the girls kept fighting. But it's the free throws that killed us."
Jenny Dumoulin led Hampshire with 19 points on her birthday. Sara Finn, Emma Benoit and Nikki Dumoulin scored 5 points apiece for Hampshire (10-15, 5-7).
Ahr finished with 12 points for the Thunder.
Hampshire said "goodbye, happiness" in the first half as Emma Everly got Woodstock on top with three 3-pointers, one of which she launched from the Chick'n Dip.
"Not finding (Everly) in the beginning of the game also hurt," said Haugens.
Hampshire took its only lead at 11-10 on a 3-pointer by Finn, but the Thunder answered with a 7-0 run. Woodstock led by about 5 points most of the rest of the way. Every time Hampshire made a move, the Thunder had an answer.
When Nikki Dumoulin opened the second half with a 3-pointer, North reeled off 7 points in a row to take its largest lead at 28-19. The Whips came right back with a 3-pointer by Becky Dumoulin and a basket by Benoit. Woodstock led by between 4 and 7 until the Whips' late rally.
Nikki Dumoulin started the rally with a breakaway layup to make it 41-37 with half a minute left. After a steal by Jenny Dumoulin, she got the ball back from Nikki and nailed a 3-pointer with 9.2 left. But that was as close as they got.
