The University girls advanced to Monday’s Sectional 58 championship with a hard-fought 59-40 win over Bethesda Christian.
The Trailblazers dominated the paint against the Patriots. 6-2 Junior Lindsey Syrek scored a season high 27 points and pulled down 15 rebounds while Jhordan McGuire scored 11 points on a variety of inside moves. Lily Snyder had nine points including seven for eight at the foul line.
McGuire scored eight of University’s first 10 points as the Trailblazers held a tight lead throughout most of the first quarter and led 13-11 after the opening period. A pair of Syrek baskets gave University a 17-13 before five points from Bethesda Christian’s Maddi Fulks gave the Patriot their last lead at 18-17.
Brooke Andrus hit a three pointer from the right wing to put University back in front before Fulks tied the game at 20. Fulks had 19 first-half points and finished with 25 to lead the Patriots.
University took the lead for good when Maddi Sears fed Syrek for a layin and a 22-20 lead with 2:55 left. Haley Tomlinson found Lily Snyder for a fast break basket and a 24-20 lead. After a Patriots basket, University scored the last six points of the first half. A Syrek rebound basket, two foul shots by Lily Snyder and a Jenna Blakley basket off a Tomlinson dish with six seconds left gave University a 30-22 lead at halftime.
The Trailblazers took control by scoring the first seven points of the third quarter on three Syrek baskets and a McGuire foul shot as University fed the post often. A Patriots basket with 3:55 left in the half snapped a six minute scoreless drought before a Syrek old fashioned three point play put University up 40-24.
The Patriots would not go away with a Fulks floater at the third quarter buzzer punctuating a 7-2 run to cut the University lead to 42-31.
The Blazers picked up the defensive intensity again, holding Bethesda Christian scoreless for the first four and a half minutes of the final period and scoring the first 14 points of the period. Andrus got the University offense going with a big three pointer just 12 seconds in to the quarter. Sears scored off a steal before Lily Snyder hit the first of two free throws. Syrek rebounded Snyder’s miss and scored and was fouled. The made free throw completed a four-point play for the Blazers and a 20 point lead at 51-31.
Four foul shots from Syrek and four more from Lily Snyder gave University a 59-33 lead with 3:00 remaining. The Patriots scored the last seven points of the game for the 59-40 final.
University improved to 21-2 on the season while Bethesda Christian bows out at 13-10
University will play the Indiana School for the Deaf Orioles (15-8) in Monday’s championship game. The Trailblazers won the regular season meeting 80-39. Tip off at Bethesda Christian is at 7:30 p.m.
University 59, Bethesda Christian 40
University FG FT TP PF
Lindsey Syrek 10 7-10 27 1
Brooke Andrus 2 0-0 6 3
Lily Snyder 1 7-8 9 3
Jhordan McGuire 5 1-3 11 4
Lucy Snyder 0 0-0 0 1
Maddi Sears 0 2-2 2 1
Jenna Blakley 2 0-0 4 1
Haley Tomlinson 0 0-0 0 0
Hallie Harrison 0 0-0 0 0
Totals 20 17-23 59 14
Score by Quarters
University 13 17 12 17 – 59
Bethesda Christian 11 11 9 9 – 40
University 3-pointers (2) Andrus 2.