Playing back-to-back games Friday night and Saturday morning to open their season, the Lady Cougar basketball team earned a split of the two games.
Friday night, the Lady Cougars got double-digit scoring performances from junior Laura Vincent and sophomore Rachael Snyder as they drubbed visiting Warren Central 49-29.
Playing in the Independence Bank Classic, in Owensboro at the Sportscenter on Saturday, the Lady Cougars found themselves overmatched against the Murray Tigers, who came into the game ranked 18th in a statewide pre-season poll and went home with a one-sided, 52-28 win.
WARREN CENTRAL
Though they never trailed in this game, the score stayed close throughout the first half. The Lady Cougars led by seven points twice in the first half, the last time coming at 14-7 with 2:52 left in the second period. They led by five at the break, 18-13.
But things changed as the third quarter began. The Lady Cougars reeled off 19 straight points to begin the period and held a 24-point lead, 37-13 at the 2:08 mark. They still led by 24, 40-16 at the start of the fourth quarter. The Lady Dragons were never closer than 20 points the rest of the way.
Krissy Johnson led the Lady Dragons with 15 points.
Vincent led all scorers with 16 points. She also led the team on the glass with seven rebounds and added three steals. Snyder scored 15 points and pulled down four rebounds.
Sophomore Ella Robinson scored six points, while juniors Kenzie Renfrow and Bailey Snyder had four apiece. Renfrow added five rebounds, and led the team with five assists and four steals.
Brianna Dennis and Madison Edwards completed the Lady Cougar scoring with two points apiece.
MURRAY
The Lady Cougars led just once in this game. Rachael Snyder hit a three-pointer at the 7:09 mark to put her team in front, but the Tigers responded with 13 unanswered points to lead 13-3 at the 3:01 mark. Murray led 19-5 heading into the second period.
The Lady Cougar defense held the Tigers to just five points in the second period, but the Tigers were still able to increase their lead as the Lady Cougars could manage to score just two of their own and trailed 24-7 at the half.
Two Kenzie Renfrow free throws at the 5:38 mark of the third quarter brought the Lady Cougars to within 13 points of the lead, but they would never get closer. A 12-2 run by the Tigers increased their lead to 23 points, 41-18 with 1:09 left in the period. Murray led by 20 points, 41-21 heading into the final period of play.
The Tigers put three players into double figures, led by Turley McKenzie’s 19 points. Calli Carver scored 13 points, while Lizzy Curtis added 12.
Rachael Snyder led the Lady Cougars with 12 points. Renfrow added seven points, two rebounds, three assists and three steals. Laura Vincent scored just four points, but she led everyone on the glass with 13 rebounds. Bailey Snyder scored three points and Ella Robinson added two to round out the scoring.
By Don Brown, Local Sports
Reach Don at donbrown@k105.com
