Belles lose fifth straight; fall to Bulldogs 59-52
By KATIE McVOY
Assistant Sports Editor
It was close, but there were no cigars for the Belles basketball team Saturday at Angela Athletic Facility.
Saint Mary's dropped its fifth straight game as the Belles lost to the Adrian Bulldogs 59-52, dropping their record to 1-5 in the MIAA.
With only 40 seconds left in the game and trailing 52-48, Anne Blair made a foul shot, one of her team-high 12 points, bringing the Belles within three.
However, Katie Christiansen fouled Adrian's Allison Keobaugh and sent her to the line. Keobaugh made the shot and put the game back in double possession difference. A turnover by Sean Russel and another Bulldogs score ended the game.
"We just haven't clicked," head coach Suzanne Smith said. "The Bulldogs clicked and shot."
Adrian's Annie Morton hit a two-point shot from the line to begin the game and take the lead. The Bulldogs never gave up that lead.
In a foul-ridden game, a strong attack from the Belles defense kept Adrian's three leading scorers, Morton, Keobaugh, and Sarah Vincke, to a lower than average total of 39 points. But the Belles' offense just couldn't get the job done.
Eight minutes into the first half, Saint Mary's had only scored five points and had not gotten one offensive rebound. The Belles continued to miss the offensive boards for the rest of the half and went into half time down 24-18.
"We were focusing on other things [than rebounds] at that time," Christiansen said.
Adrian's aggressive play kept Saint Mary's on the outside, which contributed to its rebounding woes and the team's inabililty to get inside shots.
"They were doing a good job inside," freshman guard Katie Miller said. "It was hard for our posts to get shots, so we passed in to them and they had to pass out to us."
In addition to Adrian's inside control, the Bulldogs scored on several Saint Mary's turnovers under the basket.
"We were thinking too much ahead," Smith said. "We weren't focusing on what needed to get done then."
The Belles came back looking to win in the second half. After falling behind by 14, Kelly Roberts, Miller, Julie Norman, Christiansen and Katie Gamache teamed together for 10 points, bringing the Belles within five at 40-35.
That's when the comeback began.
"We took control; we weren't tentative," Smith said. "We knew what we were doing."
"We pushed the ball more and attacked their press," Miller added.
With seven minutes left the Belles were down by just five. But Adrian stepped up its play, increasing the lead to 10.
With four minutes left, the Belles threatened again on a Miller two-pointer that brought the game within four.
Blair's foul shot brought the game within three with 40 seconds left, but the Belles fell short.
Miller and Norman put up 10 and nine points apiece, respectively. Blair and Roberts led in rebounds, each with four offensive boards and six defensive boards, most of which came in the second half.
For Adrian, Vincke led with 15 points, and Morton led the Bulldogs in rebounds, racking up eight defensive boards and four offensive boards.
The Belles will face off against MIAA competition Kalamazoo on Wednesday at 7:30.
All Sports Stories for Monday, January 22, 2001
