The Class 2A No. 2 University girls won their second consecutive Pioneer Academic Athletic Conference championship Saturday afternoon, dominating the game from the opening tip in a 92-55 win over Class 1A No. 10 Bethesda Christian.
University used its height advantage to great success. 6-1 senior Lindsey Syrek scored 28 points and pulled down 13 rebounds. 6-0 freshman Kelsey DuBois had a career high 26 points and also had 13 rebounds and five assists. The Trailblazers outrebounded the Patriots 42-16. University had 26 offensive rebounds.
Maddi Sears had 12 points and six assists and Jordan Patterson gave University four players in double figures with 10 points and five assists off the bench. Sierra Hinds chipped in with nine points and five assists and Payton Seay had six points and five rebounds.
The Trailblazers were hot from the start of the game, leading 30-12 after the first quarter. Syrek scored just 24 seconds in to the game off an assist from DuBois. A basket from DuBois, a three pointer from Sears, a Syrek foul shot and another DuBois basket put University in front 12-4. A second three pointer from Sears, two foul shots from Syrek and a Syrek basket stretched the lead to 12. After a Bethesda Christian three pointer, Patterson hit a three pointer for a 22-12 lead and University never led by less than ten for the remainder of the game.
Sears finished with 10 points in the 30-point first quarter. Syrek had nine and DuBois eight.
The University lead reached 22 midway through the second quarter on a Hinds three pointer from the left corner and the Trailblazers led 47-25 at halftime.
The Trailblazers outscored Bethesda Christian 13-3 in the first four minutes of the third quarter to remove any hope of a Patriot comeback. University led 69-36 after the third quarter.
Rachel Shaffer had 25 points to lead Bethesda Christian. The University defense held the Patriots Maddi Fulks to less than half of her 24.1 point per game average. Fulks had 12 points, including just two points in the second half as the University guards applied defensive pressure throughout the contest.
The Trailblazers improve to 20-0 on the season and have won 17 consecutive games against PAAC opponents. Bethesda Christian falls to 14-3 on the season.
The Trailblazers are next in action on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at The U Center for a senior night contest against Cardinal Ritter.
UNIVERSITY 92, BETHESDA CHRISTIAN 55
University FG FT TP PF
Kelsey DuBois 10-16 6-7 26 1
Sierra Hinds 3-10 1-1 9 3
Lindsey Syrek 11-18 6-7 28 4
Payton Seay 2-8 2-2 6 3
Maddi Sears 4-8 2-2 12 1
Lilly Fair 0-0 0-0 0 1
Jordan Patterson 3-6 2-2 10 3
Elise Nachlis 0-1 1-2 1 0
Arrion Sherrod 0-0 0-0 0 1
Totals 33-67 20-23 92 17
Score by Quarters
Bethesda 12 13 11 19 – 55
University 30 17 22 23 – 92
University 3-point shooting (6-14) Sears 2-5, Hinds 2-5, Patterson 2-4.
University rebounds (42) Syrek 13, DuBois 13, Seay 5, Sears 4, Hinds 3, Patterson 2, Nachlis 1, Fair 1.