The Jaguars pounced early and often, controlling the semifinal game of the LIT from start to finish (leading 35-22 at halftime) with defensive intensity and a good team shooting percentage. With the notable excpetion of Allison Karst and some subs, the Lady Centurions lacked focus and depth (down two starters with Anna Hart's ACL injury and Emily Walden unavailable for this contest). What a difference a few weeks makes...when CAL defeated Mercy in the Jaguars' den. Mercy plays Manual for the LIT championship.

 

Will they meet again? It's quite likely in the 7th region tournament, just over a month away.

 

Stats may follow as time allows.

Mercy 69 CAL 47

 

After CAL played one of its best games of the season to defeat a talented Highlands team in Friday night’s LIT (Louisville Invitational Tournament) quarterfinals, wintry weather delayed the semifinals until Sunday. The snow may have been cleared from the roads outside, but inside Bellarmine University’s Knights’ Hall the Lady Centurions appeared to be tromping through slush as Mercy Academy’s Jaguars pounced early and often, utilizing their depth and intensity to avenge a January 12th home loss to CAL and advance to the LIT championship versus Manual.

 

When Mercy scored the first basket immediately after tip-off, China Dow answered with a short jumper on the other end. It was the game’s only tie as the Jaguars sprinted to a 19-10 1st-quarter lead and never looked back. Allison Karst scored 9 of her 16 points in the opening half, but the Lady Centurions turned the ball over a dozen times before the intermission and paid the price as the Jaguars scored 14 points off turnovers. Outrebounding the Lady Centurions by nearly a two-to-one ratio (including a 9-1 offensive rebounding edge), Mercy also won the 2nd-chance scoring battle 7-0 and CAL trailed at halftime 35-22.

 

Mercy erased hope of a comeback in the 3rd quarter by pouring in 20 more points while CAL saw the game slip away, producing only 7 points as the gap increased to 55-29. Mercy substituted in waves throughout the game and continued to apply pressure in the 4th quarter. Instead of quitting with the game out of reach, CAL battled to the finish and found some bench support in freshman Kate Joss who hit a 3-pointer and converted in or near the paint for 6 additional points. The pace never slowed until Mercy dribbled out the final minute with a 22-point win.

 

Sideline notes

 

Depth: Mercy’s depth was a decisive factor with 8 players in the scoring column by halftime and 10 players by game’s end with remarkable balance. Although CAL had 8 players score, including a welcome season-high 9 points by Joss on 4 of 6 field goals, the points off the bench still favored the Jaguars 32-13. Katie Shaheen subbed to spark the defense as CAL was without two starters. Emily Walden was unavailable for play and her ability to drive the left side of the lane to break down the defense was sorely missed. Anna Hart’s interior physical presence and rebounding made the difference in the earlier encounter of the two squads, but on this occasion Mercy’s veteran guards paved a path to the basket for lay-ups in transition and half-court play.

 

Intensity: Coach Mark Evans’ Lady Jaguars were hungry and on the prowl, likely playing their best game of the season thus far. Focused from start to finish, they created offense off their defense and reaped the rewards. Slaughter shot the ball only 6 times, a tribute to the Jaguars’ strategy and to CAL’s inability to get the ball in the right hands. However, the key statistic revealing effort might be the Lady Jaguars’ 40-23 rebounding advantage.

 

Attitude: Instead of rolling over in the 2nd half, CAL showed some spirit in the 4th quarter. They minimized the turnover gap; Karst dove for loose balls; Slaughter fought for rebounds; Marshall drove for a lay-up. In spite of the loss, it should not be overlooked that the Lady Centurions advanced to the semifinals of the LIT. The season is far from over as the team enters the last month of the regular season in defense of their 7th region title.

 

Game scoring by quarter

CAL 10 12 7 18 47

Mercy 19 16 20 14 69

 

Player statistics

CAL: Allison Karst (16 points), Antonita Slaughter (9 points 8 rebounds), Kate Joss (9 points), China Dow (4 points), Casey Marshall (3 points), Paige Gardner (2 points, 5 rebounds), Makenzie Dale (2 points), Katie Shaheen (2 points)

Mercy: Juliann Miller (13 points), Malisa Cruz (12 points), Christine Roush (11 points), Lauren Faris (8 points), Ellen Sholtes (6 points), Catherine Dircksen (5 points), Courtney Roush (4 points), Whitney Hartlage (4 points), Therese Montano (3 points), Emily Goetz (3 points)