Lady Eagles Survive Big Hermann Rally
Sullivan’s Four Rivers Conference opener on Monday against Hermann was expected to provide a close result, but how the two teams finished was nobody’s guess.
Sullivan came out firing with a 26-6 lead early in the second quarter, then Hermann went berserk with a 26-5 run to take over late in the third.
Mallory Shetley scored 13 of her 19 points from that point on, including nine straight into the fourth period, and the Lady Eagles (12-5) hung on for a 54-49 win.
Katie Creek added 12 points, Riley Lock scored 10 and Hanna Johanning put in six. Kya Harbour scored five and Vittoria Polanowski chipped in with two.
The giant swings in momentum stunned both teams.
Hermann struggled out the gate and seemed rattled by an early 3-point barrage from the Lady Eagles.
Johanning splashed a pair of treys and Creek added one in between to build up a 9-3 lead through the first three minutes.
Lock and Shetley combined for the next eight points to give Sullivan a 17-3 lead. Harbour had a put-back with 12 seconds left, one of three the Lady Eagles had in the period. Sullivan went up 19-5 after one quarter.
Shetley led a 7-0 run to start the second period when she blocked a shot and heaved a pass down court to Lock, who finished a fast-break. Creek’s second 3-pointer and two free throws by Harbour gave Sullivan a 26-6 lead.
Hermann woke up from its offensive slumber with 3-pointers by Brianna Thomas and Godat. Quincy Erickson, who led the Bearcats with 23 points, scored on a three-point play with 3:16 to play. After a free throw by Lock, Erickson drained a 3-pointer to cut Sullivan’s lead to 28-18. She continued to dominate with a 3-pointer and a drive with 21 seconds left. Hermann trailed 30-23 at halftime.
The intermission wasn’t enough to cool her down as she started the second half with her third 3-pointer. Allison Stiers carved up the Lady Eagles for an inside bucket and Erickson hit a pair of free throws to cut Sullivan’s lead to 31-30. Stiers put the Bearcats on top with 5:51 left on another drive to the hoop.
Sullivan called a timeout to recover. The Lady Eagles had gone nearly six minutes without a basket from the field until Shetley revived the offense with a three-point play. She came down two possessions later and scored inside to put Sullivan ahead 35-32. Sullivan led 35-34 going into the final period.
Shetley added two baskets in the first minute and Sullivan went up 39-34 forcing Hermann into a timeout.
With the Lady Eagles clinging to a 42-39 lead, Shetley took Erickson off the dribble and finished at the rim. Sullivan never trailed by fewer than four points after that.