LP gets past Grand Meadow; Girls face a challenge, but win 55th straight conference game
Published 11:00 pm Monday, January 18, 2016
Grand Meadow’s Rio Landers, left, blocks the shot of Lyle-Pacelli’s Olivia Christianson in Lyle Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
LYLE — The Lyle-Pacelli girls basketball team hasn’t had a lot of close calls during its current 55 game winning streak in the Southeast Conference, but on Monday the Athletics were given a big challenge.
Grand Meadow hung with the Athletics for much of the night, but weren’t able to pull off the upset as No. 7 ranked LP snuck by with a 55-46 win in Lyle.
Grand Meadow’s Jordyn Glynn throws a bounce pass past the defense of Lyle-Pacelli’s Kendal Truckenmiller and Abby Bollingberg in Lyle Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
GM freshman Jordyn Glynn, who scored 16 points, pulled the Superlarks (8-8 overall, 6-4 SEC) to within 45-42 when she drilled a three-pointer with 4:20 left in the game, but LP’s Courtney Walter, who had 10 points, four rebounds and four assists, immediately responded with a three-pointer of her own that sparked an 8-0 LP run that put the game away.
LP (13-3 overall, 10-0 SEC) was coming off a 75-62 loss to No. 1 ranked Goodhue on Saturday and it had trouble getting started early in the second half on Monday. LP led 24-15 at the half, but Glynn tied the game up at 30-30 with a three-point play with 12:55 left in the contest.
“They play us really tough and it’s a good match up for them,” LP head coach Justin Morris said. “I give credit to Ryan [Queensland]. Their kids played extremely well. I thought they played harder than our kids and I thought they played better than our kids. That’s a nice group they’ve got over there.”
Sarah Holtz, who had 21 points and seven rebounds, also had a key hoop for LP when she drove and scored to put the Athletics up 45-38 with five minutes left. Holtz, who picked up her 1,000th career rebound in the win, said that it was tough to come off the loss to Goodhue, but it was good to get a close game in.
“It’s very tough. We were definitely down and I think we didn’t play quite up to our capabilities tonight,” she said. “I think going through a slump is good, because you can always go up and now we have something to drive for and work for. I think we definitely needed a wake up call.”
Lyle-Pacelli’s Brooke Walter dribbles past Grand Meadow’s Isabelle Olson in Lyle Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Holtz recently committed to play college basketball, and possibly compete in track and field, at Luther College, where here older sister Annie Holtz attends school. Holtz, who is LP’s all-time leading scorer, is hoping to finish her high school career on high note.
“I really want to finish strong,” she said. “High school ball is so much different than anything else I’ve ever experienced. I really want to make the most out of the time I have left.”
Queensland was pleased with the play of his team, which played plenty of underclassmen.
“I’m very proud of the whole team. They stayed engaged and they helped each other out.” Queensland said. “It’s a very hostile environment and Justin always has his team ready to play. They’re a good team,” “They know us well and we know them well. They’re very well coached. It’s an opportunity for us to see where we want to be headed.”
Grand Meadow’s Annika Arndorfer recovers a loose ball as Lyle-Pacelli’s Courtney Walter looks on in Lyle Monday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
GM was led by senior Rio Landers, who had 17 points and nine rebounds.
GM 15 31 — 46
LP 24 31 — 55
LP scoring: Sarah Holtz, 21; Courtney Walter, 10; Kendal Truckenmiller, 9; Brooke Walter, 5; Kristi Fett, 4; Abby Bollingbeg, 4; Olivia Christianson, 2; free throws: 69 percent (18-for-26); rebounds: 33 (Fett, 8); turnovers: 12
GM scoring: Rio Landers, 17; Jordyn Glynn, 16; Isabelle Olson, 8; Anika Arnodorfer, 2; Kaitlyn Hilton, 2; free throws: 86 percent (12-for-14); rebounds: 30 (Landers, 9); turnovers: 23
