Marian's pressure sinks Maine West

Maine West's girls basketball team started out the first half of its final game in the Maine West Tip-Off with a flourish.

Unfortunately for the Warriors, it was the Marian Catholic Spartans who were flourishing in the second half and were able to post a 48-24 triumph.

The Warriors led 15-14 at the break, but were outscored 10-2 in the third quarter and 24-7 in the final eight minutes.

The Spartans' pressure defense made a difference in the second half.

"Whenever we get the hard-core pressure we tend to lose our focus," said Warriors senior guard Sam Acosta, a second-team all-tourney selection along with classmate Megan O'Neill. "We have to work on that."

The Warriors (3-5, 1-4 in the tourney) worked their way into a 1-point lead by outscoring the Spartans 10-6 in the second quarter.

In those eight minutes, they received baskets from Amanda Ollerer, Katherine Kusner and O'Neill along with a pair of free throws by Ellen Coogan and O'Neill.

But the Spartans (3-2 in the tourney) regained the lead in the third quarter, sparked by 3-pointers from Jasmine Matthews (12 points) and Emily Kobel (9 points). Junior Simone Law led Marian Catholic with 15 points.

"We just have to concentrate, run our plays and take care of the basketball," said Acosta, who had 5 rebounds, 3 steals and a 3-pointer in the first quarter.

Amanda Hoye dished out 3 assists and had 2 steals for the Warriors while O'Neill pulled down 6 rebounds.

"We played a good first half," said Maine West coach Derril Kipp. "But in the second half, they got us playing at their speed and we aren't comfortable at that. We turned the ball over 15 times and we can't do that.

"I thought our kids played hard in the first half. But once they started playing us up and trapping in the second half, we didn't move."