Hot Springs: 26 Victor: 43
<p><strong>Mikayla Mueller races the ball toward the net during Hot Springs’ home game against the Victor Lady Pirates.</strong></p>
HOT SPRINGS – After last week’s games, the Lady Savage Heat have grown a lot as their strategies and play style as a team are coming together.
During Saturday’s game, against the Victor Lady Pirates, the girls fought hard, but came away with a 26-43 loss. The game started close, with both teams showing a good defense. However, Victor was able to pull ahead and close out the first quarter ahead with a score of 6-13.
The home team tried to come back, but the competition was able to keep ahead and advance their lead. The Lady Pirates pulled ahead until they had a lead of 10 points, closing the half with a score of 10-21.
As the second half began, both teams were pushing hard to gain an advantage over the other. There were lots of turn overs as both teams claimed the ball on a rebound or recovered it as they lost control and it bounced away. During the third quarter, Hot Springs kept the opposition at a 10-point lead, but in the fourth Victor advanced their lead to nearly 20 points, closing the game at 26-43.
Head Coach Michelle Hunter felt the game went well, but said the team could have hustled more and been faster in some moves. She was happy that they were playing more as a team and bringing everything together in each game, though.
“It’s coming together,” she said. “We’re working together as a team and we’re doing what we need to do. We’re going to get there.”
There were a few things the coach felt the team still needs to improve on in practices, in terms of keeping up their pace throughout the game; they have also been working on their free throws.
The Hot Springs teams have two county games this week. They will be playing an away game in Noxon, then a home game against Plains. Hunter felt it would be a tough week, but was confident they could do well.