Lady Pirates edge out a win over Rushville
Coach Melissa Marlow and the Rushville Lady Lions would soon like to forget Saturday evenings conference game with Greensburg. The Lady Lions led by double digits for most of game, but they saw a fourth quarter lead disappear and Rushville found themselves trailing with less them a minute to play. Greensburg’s Leah West had a career game, dropping 30 points and leading her team back from 13 points down at halftime. The Lady Pirates snatched their third EIAC win in a row and sixth overall win on the season.
The first period began with a West three pointer putting the Lady Pirates up 3-0, then a two minute dry spell for both teams took place. Belle Gossett got Rushville on the board at the 5:30 mark and that started a scoring run for both squads. Mary Harmon hit two baskets and West another, Greensburg went up 9-4. Kylee Herbert and Gossett scored for the Lady Lions, then GCHS freshman Aly Powers scored two-points. Briley Munchel got her first basket with 2:00 to go in the period and that began a Rushville run where they scored 11 unanswered points. West added a free throw with 15 seconds to go but Rushville was up 19-12 after one period. Gossett put up 11 points in the first frame and started the second with two more points. The remainder of the quarter was low scoring affair with West scoring four points for Greensburg and the Lady Lions scoring eight points, led by Leonie Boyer with four. Rushville led by 13 at the half 29-16.
The third quarter went in favor of the Lady Pirates with West scoring eight points in the frame and Powers adding five. Rushville scored eight in period, four of those points from the charity stripe. Greensburg cut the lead to eight by the end of the period, Rushville led 37-29. West came out firing in the final frame and scored six points in the first two minutes, cutting the lead to four. Boyer went four for four from the free throw line and Munchel scored a basket putting the Lady Lions up by eight with 4:30 to play. The Lady Pirates went on a 8-0 run over the next three minutes with West hitting a three to tie the game up at 43-43. With under a minute to play Harmon drove the lane and laid in basket to give Greensburg the lead. The minute was a free throw battle with West hitting three of four for GCHS and Rushville hitting four of six. The Lady Pirates got the fourth quarter come from behind win with a score of 48-47. Greensburg is now 6-4 on the season and moves to 3-1 in EIAC games. The Lions drop to 4-5 and 1-1 in conference games.
The Lady Lions will host Jennings County(5-1) on Tuesday. Greensburg will look to extend their three game win streak next Friday when they host Batesville(4-5) for an EIAC matchup.
Unofficial scoring
GCHS- West 30, Powers 10, Harmon 6, and Carmen Thackery 2
RCHS- Gossett 15, Boyer 10, Munchel 10, Olivia Smith 6, Herbert 4, and Gracie Buzzard 2.