Once the Lady Panthers got the party started, they never looked back.
Tuesday night the Lady Panthers made the trip north to take on the Spartans of Notre Dame East Stroudsburg. What started out as a tight and competitive game quickly evolved into a Panther rout. Saucon Valley seized the momentum and rode it home for a 50-26 victory.
The Panthers struck first with a Helen Kreschollek jumper in the first minute of the game, but the Spartans quickly answered with a little five-point run. Kreschollek found the bottom of the net once again, but a couple of free-throws by Notre Dame’s Caroline Bahara gave the Spartans a 7-4 lead halfway through the opening period.
Saucon Valley’s Katherine Naiburg looking to pass to Shannon Williams.
Led by freshman Ally Frace, Saucon suddenly awoke and sprung to life for ten unanswered points. A pair of 3-pointers by Frace were sandwiched between a couple of layups by Brooke and Kiele Riefenstahl. Bahara was able to connect on a couple more free-throws in the last minute of play, but Frace hit another bomb with :25 seconds left to close out the quarter giving Saucon Valley a 17-9 advantage.
Brooke Riefenstahl penetrates the Spartan defense.
Frace started the second quarter where she left off with another long-range swish and Kiele Riefenstahl added a layup to extend the Panther lead to 22-9. At 6:33, Bahara broke the Spartan drought with another pair of free-throws, but Frace dialed in from three-point-land once again to make the score 25-11. With the Panthers in a little bit of foul trouble, the Spartans were able to scratch their way back into the game scoring six straight. At the intermission, the Panthers held a 25-17 lead. Frace paced the Panthers coming off the bench for fifteen, first-half points.
The stingy Panther defense allowed the Spartans only one third-period point.
Bahara hit another free-throw :11 seconds into the 3rd Quarter, but the Panthers manufactured a nine point run including Olivia Williams’ three-point, baseline jumper with about a minute remaining in the period. Helen Kreschollek added a bucket to make the score 34-18.
Second half points were tough to come by for the NDES Spartans.
Kreschollek took the game over scoring the first six points of the final period. Whether it was a nifty entry pass into the low-post by Kiele Riefenstahl, a drive and dish from Brooke Riefenstahl or a pick and roll from Shannon Williams, Kreschollek had her way in the paint against the Spartan defense and led the Panthers on a 16-3 run. NDES did score the final five points of the game, but that was after the “Fat-Lady” already began to sing. The Lady Panthers dominated for a 50-26 victory.
Freshman Ally Frace (#23) has a breakout game for the Panthers.
Senior Caroline Bahara was 12 of 17 from the foul-line and finished with a total of 16 points for the Spartans.
Freshman Ally Frace led Saucon Valley with 17 points. Senior Helen Kreschollek added 16 for the Panthers.
Up Next: The Lady Panthers will travel to Palisades for their season finale on Thursday. Tipoff is scheduled 6:45 p.m. JV are scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m.
Good luck Ladies, the Source is with you!