Second Half Run Pushes Lady Eagles Past Parkway South

Success beyond the arc eluded Sullivan at times this season, but on Tuesday, a bevy of timely 3-pointers helped the Lady Eagles to another victory.

Buoyed by eight triples, Sullivan (11-5) held off Parkway South 59-52 to secure their fourth straight win. 

Katie Creek had three 3-pointers and Kya Harbour finished with two. Riley Lock, Hanna Johanning and Rylee Denbow added one.

The 3-point shots allowed Sullivan to build up a double-digit lead early in the fourth quarter. 

Parkway South became just the third team this season to score more than 50 points against the Lady Eagles’ defense, but they struggled to contain Sullivan’s offense.

Sullivan limited the Patriots early. Linnea Johansen’s turnaround in the paint was Parkway’s first basket and came with nearly four minutes gone in the first quarter. That helped Parkway pick up the pace as they went on a 10-2 over the next two minutes. Lani Thompson’s 3-pointer with 2:39 left in the period gave the Patriots a 10-6 lead.

Harbour and Johanning would knock down back-to-back triples to tie the game at 12-12 with 57 seconds. 

At the 5:10 mark in the second quarter, Denbow would give Sullivan a 17-15 lead on a 3-pointer. Mallory Shetley’s steal and fast-break extended the advantage. 

The Lady Eagles maintained their lead for the remainder of the half. Shetley drove through the defense with 1:25 left, then Creek hit her first 3-pointer with under a minute left to give Sullivan a 28-22 lead. Laine Ritter countered with a 3 at the 19 second mark and the Lady Eagles led 28-25 at halftime.

Shetley scored the first five points of the third quarter and Harbour’s second 3-pointer gave Sullivan a 36-29 lead with 4:44 left in the third quarter. Parkway got back within two after Johansen’s three-point play off an inbound. Shetley kept the Patriots behind as she finished in the lane through three defenders, then converted another steal into a fast-break, putting Sullivan on top 40-34 with 1:15 left in the period.

Creek had her second 3-pointer with 14 seconds left, then Sullivan batted down Parkway’s attempt at a buzzer beater to carry a 43-36 lead into the fourth quarter.

Creek and Lock generated five quick points to start the period. Lock buried a trey after getting open on an inbound. Sullivan led 50-38. They maintained a 12-point advantage until Chloe Marshall’s 3-pointer and a basket by Thompson trimmed it to 52-43 with 3:25 left.

Creek’s third 3-pointer at the 2:21 mark restored a double-digit lead, 57-47. 

Nixa

Sullivan’s winning streak was snapped Friday with a 56-51 loss to Nixa.

The Lady Eagles led 46-45 going into the fourth quarter, but were unable to close out the victory. 

Sullivan hosted Hermann on Monday in their Four Rivers Conference opener. They host St. Clair on Friday as part of the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.