PLYMOUTH – It was an emotional night as Plymouth’s Lady Pilgrims said good bye to their seniors, and took a win in the final home game of the season over a tough Northridge team 50-45.

 

Plymouth got out to a lightening quick start and led by as many as 12 in the first half but by the 3:30 mark in the third quarter, Northridge(15-6) was able to climb back into it and take the lead. It was the tenacity of the Lady Raiders and their ability to adjust that made the difference.

 

“Whenever you can beat a team the caliber of Northridge it’s a great win,” said Plymouth coach Dave Duncan. “We’ve seen them play a couple times this year and coach (Doug) Springer does a great job making adjustments. Kaydon (Fosler) was on the bench with three fouls and he came out and trapped us a couple times and we didn’t adjust to that real well in the first half. I thought in the second half we did a better job of adjusting to that.”

 

Constantly changing defenses Northridge clawed back into the contest, but Plymouth had the answer to that stategy.

 

“It’shaving an intelligent point guard like Haley Harrell and having her read the defenses and make the adjustments,” said Duncan of his answer for the changing defenses. “I think maybe the first couple of times we did not but after that she started making reads and Hunter (Stevens) started getting in the middle. When we’re making the right reads on the floor, we’re pretty good.”

 

Harrell had a big game defensively as well on two consecutive trips down the floor, Northridge had a chance to retake a lead late in the game, and Harrell was able to knock away a pass in the lane on one occasion and on the second stripped the ball from Northridge’s outstanding point guard Taylor Miller on what was a likely layup.

 

A technical foul on Springer after a wild play led to a foul was a big turning point with – guess who – Haley Harrell hitting both free throws that would give the Lady Pilgrims the lead for good.

 

“Down the stretch we hit some free throws and maybe back in December we weren’t really doing that,” said Duncan. “Mental focus was pretty good tonight. They didn’t get caught up in the officiating – I may have a couple times – that’s what they are supposed to do keep an even keel and just play basketball.”

 

Even keel puts the Lady Pilgrims at 15-6 on the year with a game on Tuesday night at Goshen.

 

Score by Quarters

Plymouth 16 28 35 50

Northridge 6 21 33 45.

 

Northridge (45) – K. Miller 3 2-5 8, McKinley 0 5-6 5, Carithers 4 0-0 10, Lengacher 2 2-3 6, M. Miller 1 4-4 6, T. Miller 3 2-2 8, Brickner 1 0-0 2. Totals 14 15-20 45.

 

Plymouth (50) – Stevens 5 4-7 14, Andrews 2 0-0 6, Fosler 1 1-2 3, Harrell 5 3-4 15, Wright 0 0-0 0, Stephenson 1 0-0 2, Horvath 4 2-2 10. Totals 18 10-15 50.

 

3 Pt. FG – Plymouth 4-8 (Andrews, Harrell 2), Northridge 2-11 (Carithers 2).

Rebounds – Plymouth 17 (Horvath 7), Northridge 20 (K. Miller 6).

Assists – Plymouth 12 (Wright 4), Northridge 4 (Lengacher 2).

Steals – Plymouth 6 (Fosler, Horvath 2), Northridge 6 (T. Miller 3).

Turnovers – Plymouth 11, Northridge 8.

Fouls (Fouled out) – Plymouth 14, Northridge 17.