Sports
OLMA Basketball Falls to LI Lutheran, 58-20
Mustangs lose to an aggressive LuHi team Wednesday night.
Just one day following an excellent win over the conference leading Kellenberg team, the received a rude awakening on the court of the Lutheran High School Crusaders Wednesday, falling 58-20.
Throughout the game, Lutheran's defense consistently forced turnovers and fouls with their aggressiveness. The Crusaders successfully blocked shots, broke up passes and attacked the ball from all over the court, ultimately resulting in the lopsided final score.
It was an aggressive and defensive battle right from the opening tip off. LuHi's big and physical players set the tone very early on and dominated OLMA's offensive efforts throughout the first half. In fact, the only points OLMA put up in the first quarter were the result of a two-point basket by Marilyn Lehmuller, who finally put the Mustangs on the board with less than thirty seconds remaining in the quarter.
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The Mustangs offense faired slightly better in the second quarter, with Lemuller contributing another two-pointer and three free throws, in addition to a two-point bucket scored by Olivia Walsh. However, by halftime the Crusaders still held a dominating 20-point lead on OLMA, whose frustrated offense simply could not stop the relentless efforts of the tremendous Lutheran defenders.
Despite the ferocity of the Lutheran scoring, the OLMA girls definitely kept fighting. Walsh, Lehmuller, Shannon Brady, Silvana Morra, Catherine Dillon, Allison Multer and several others tried to rally their team, coming up with a few big points, as well as some rebounds and some free throws. Lehmuller was especially prominent throughout the game. Her unyielding intensity and effort led to several OLMA opportunities. But it was not enough, as the Crusaders continued to find ways to the basket and were able to consistently take advantage of the Mustangs mistakes.
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Despite the loss, OLMA coach John Kiffel expressed confidence that his players will be able to improve and was glad to have the opportunity to face the very challenging Lutheran team.
"There's a reason they are one of the best teams in the league," Kiffel said. "It was good for us to see the pressure and good for us to see the talent. We're happy to have the game and the opportunity."
Kiffel is right - this OLMA team has shown considerable poise and persistence in the past and these talented players will certainly take advantage of this opportunity to learn from a challenging team and emerge for the next opportunity (which happens to come on Friday at St. Mary's) a better, stronger, and smarter group.
Hero: Lehmuller was a clear leader on the court today for the Mustangs. She led the team with 10 points and showed tremendous persistence in trying to rally her teammates.
Turning Point: The Crusaders had established control by dominating from very early on. Limiting OLMA to just one basket in the first quarter clearly set a tone.
Quotable: "We'll learn from this and get better," Kiffel said after the tough loss.
Bottom Line: Lutheran is definitely a very challenging team. OLMA, despite the loss, certainly learned a lot by playing such a talented group.
Key Stat: Lehmuller's team leading, 10-point performance constituted 50% of the teams total scoring.
Who's Next? OLMA will face St. Mary's on the road, Friday, Jan. 7 at 5:45 p.m.
