PLYMOUTH – In an early season “measuring stick” game Plymouth’s Lady Pilgrims measured up admirably with a 56-50 win over Valparaiso on Saturday night.

It was a complete game for Plymouth who has shown a propensity for defensive intensity, but showed the ability to add some offensive firepower to the mix when necessary. In spite of being pleased at his team’s effort coach Dave Duncan knows that more work can be done if the team is to reach their season goals.

“In the first half we allowed them to shoot 68 percent,” said Duncan. “We just didn’t take responsibility on the perimeters and slow their perimeters down. We are still putting a lot of pressure on our interior kids right now.

Rebounding as well has been a struggle at times for the Lady Pilgrims and Valpo again stayed close with their fair share of second chance baskets, especially down the stretch.

“Most of the time they (the rebounds) were on the weak side,” said Duncan. “That’s something that we have to address is when the shot goes up we have to start sliding bodies to that weak side. On the strong side we’re getting a few but we just aren’t getting anybody on that weak side.”

Free throw shooting as well early on has been a problem with Plymouth leaving a lot of points at the line with a 15-29 night at the charity stripe.

“We’re playing six kids an awful lot of minutes,” said Duncan. “I have to develop a few more here so we can start getting some people off the floor a little bit. It’s early we’re playing ourselves into shape, it’s something the kids will correct as we go on.”

The good far out weighed the areas for improvement though and among them was a balanced offensive attack that saw four Lady Pilgrim starters in double figures in scoring against an aggressive and very physical Valparaiso defense.

“I thought it started in the first half when Hunter got in the middle,” said Duncan. “She was distributing she was finishing and we were playing off her a lot. It’s awesome when you get balanced scoring like that.”

Awesome as well with the already strong Lady Pilgrim defense led by Allie Wrights four steals and numerous deflections. Plynmouth held the Lady Vikings to just six points in the game’s final eight minutes and forced 19 turnovers in the game.

Plymouth stays unbeaten at 4-0, while Valpo stands at 1-3.

 

Score by Quarters

Valparaiso 17 28 44 50

Plymouth 18 35 45 56

 

Valparaiso (50) – Winthrow 5 0-2 12, Meyer 0 0-0 0, Chiabai 2 0-0 4, Fetla 4 0-0 10, Gates 3 0-0 6, Anselm 0 0-0 0, Ferngren 0 0-0 0, Caputo 0 0-0 0, Vaughan 2 0-1 4, Lemmon 2 0-0 4, Parker 0 0-0 0, Murray 3 2-2 8, Matavulji 1 0-0 2. Totals 22 2-5 50.

 

Plymouth (56) – Haynes 0 0-0 0, A. Harrell 0 0-0 0, Stevens 2 7-11 11, Andrew 0 0-0 0, Fosler 4 2-6 13, H. Harrell 4 2-4 12, Wright 0 3-4 3, Stephenson 2 0-1 4, Horvath 6 1-3 13. Totals 18 15-29 56.

 

Rebounds – Valparaiso 21 (Winthrow 4), Plymouth 16 (Stevens 5).

Assists – Valparaiso 6 (Winthrow 2), Plymouth 10 (Stevens, Harrell 4).

Steals – Valparaiso 5 (Winthrow 4), Plymouth 10 (Wright 4).

Turnovers – Valparaiso 19, Plymouth 11

Fouls (Fouled out) – Valparaiso 22, Plymouth 13.