T-Birds edge gritty Commodore girls’ basketball

COMMODORE SOPHOMORE GUARD Kaelin Sullivan, remaining, goes up for two of her nine factors versus visiting Missisquoi on Saturday. Ideal, VUHS junior guard Bradford beats a Missisquoi defender and eyes the basket. Bradford completed with eight factors as the Commodores observed a identified rally drop just brief.
Independent shots/Steve James

VERGENNES — How does a crew tackle adversity? Do the athletes go by the motions if losses pile up? Or do they pull collectively and preserve competing?

Dependent on Saturday’s video game in opposition to browsing Missisquoi Valley and other modern shut effects, the Vergennes Union Significant Faculty girls’ basketball workforce appears to be on the latter path.

VUHS SENIOR FELICIA Poirier blocks this shot by Missisquoi’s Alex Bourdeau as junior Jasmine Tiny (No. 10) also defenders for the duration of Saturday’s game at VUHS. Missisquoi edged the Commodores, but Poirier played perfectly at each ends of the courtroom.
Impartial photo/Steve James

Of course, the Division III Commodores missing to the T-Birds, 56-53. It was their ninth straight setback, dropping them to 4-10. 8 of all those 10 losses have arrive to teams with successful data. The exception is D-I Colchester, 7-8 as of Saturday.

A pair setbacks have been one-sided, but just lately the Commodores have been back on study course: Two aggressive online games with 11-4 North Region preceded Saturday’s struggle.

And on Saturday they continuously fought again versus the T-Birds. They never ever led from 3:20 of the very first quarter until eventually 3:20 of the fourth, and missing on tie-breaking free of charge throws in the closing seconds.

Coach Billy Waller experienced hoped the Commodores would break via for a get, but he was not disappointed at what he noticed.

“The most important issue is they’re nonetheless battling,” Waller mentioned. “We haven’t won a match in a thirty day period. And these kids are continue to battling. I’m happy of them.”

The only two online games in which Waller reported the Commodores had been not aggressive came vs. rivals Mount Abraham on Jan. 22 and Middlebury on Jan. 29.

Waller mentioned the reaction of the Commodore crew that returned only a few gamers from the squad that reached the D-III ultimate a year in the past to those losses was crucial.

VUHS SENIOR FELICIA Poirier puts up two of her 27 factors through Saturday’s activity vs. traveling to Missisquoi. Eighteen of people details arrived in the second 50 {aa306df364483ed8c06b6842f2b7c3ab56b70d0f5156cbd2df60de6b4288a84f} as VUHS rallied, but the T-Birds pulled out a 3-level earn.
Unbiased image/Steve James

“When Mount Abe and Middlebury took it to us in back-to-back video games, I felt like the girls could have went one of two approaches,” Waller claimed. “And they dug in and they’ve been taking part in better.”

Missisquoi, which improved to 8-4 and starts three seniors and two juniors, posed matchup issues for the scaled-down, considerably less skilled Commodores. VUHS had no remedy in the very first 50 percent for 6-foot center McKenzie Vincent.

Vincent poured in 16 of her 19 points in the initially 50 {aa306df364483ed8c06b6842f2b7c3ab56b70d0f5156cbd2df60de6b4288a84f} and keyed the T-Birds on the boards, the place MVU owned a 19-10 initially-half benefit.

The Commodores hung near for the initial quarter as sophomore guard Kaelin Sullivan attacked the basket and scored five, and senior forward Felicia Poirier added four as T-Hen led, 16-12.

VUHS went cold in the 2nd quarter, and Vincent tossing in six details as the T-Birds pulled ahead by 28-17 with 1:45 to go.

Poirier then sank a a few from the left flank at the just one-minute mark, and 30 seconds later on stole the ball and went in for a layup to make it 28-22 at the crack. She would complete with 27 points right after scoring 9 in the to start with 50 {aa306df364483ed8c06b6842f2b7c3ab56b70d0f5156cbd2df60de6b4288a84f}.

Just as critically as Poirier’s next-half points was that VUHS attacked the boards with a vengeance immediately after the split and outrebounded the T-Birds, 26-19, avoiding 2nd-chance factors and buying up a 50 percent-dozen of their own.

Waller also place the 5’-11” Poirier on Vincent, who begun passing out of the write-up or missing pictures. “Twenty-3 (Vincent) was a handful,” Waller explained. “I tried using four distinct ladies on her right before I settled on Felicia.”

COMMODORE SOPHOMORE Forward Acadia Clark chases down a rebound throughout Saturday’s activity at VUHS. The Commodores had a solid next-fifty percent effort on the boards that helped them mount a comeback in their near decline.
Independent picture/Steve James

The Commodores cut the direct to 40-37 right after three intervals, with 6 details from Poirier, 4 from senior forward Ryley Dubois, a few from junior level guard Kyra Bradford (she had eight in all), and two extra from Sullivan. With 2:50 to go T-Fowl Abigail Paquette strike a three to make it 38-31, but the Commodores closed the period of time with a 6-2 operate.

In the fourth interval, a travel from VUHS sophomore Ava Almeida and totally free throws right after offensive rebounds from Almeida, Bradford and Poirier tied the activity at 43-43 at 5:23. Danielle Totten put the T-Birds again on major, but a Poirier jumper and subsequent steal conversion gave VUHS the lead, 47-45, at 3:45.

MSU’s Paquette responded with a 3 10 seconds later, but Poirier scored in changeover to make it 49-48, VUHS at 3:20. Two Paquette free throws at 2:56 place Missisquoi again on top rated, and at 2:00 Vincent strike in the submit: 52-49, T-Birds.

Poirier sank a shot in the lane to make it 52-51, and a Paquette (10 factors) cost-free toss manufactured it 53-51 at 1:00. The Commodores turned the ball over, but Almeida stole the ball back, and Poirier nailed a jumper to make it 53-53 at :25.

But the Commodores fouled Totten, and she strike two free throws with 11.6 seconds to go. Vincent blocked a VUHS shot at the other conclusion, and Totten extra a clinching totally free toss with a 2nd still left.

VUHS SOPHOMORE GUARD Kaelin Sullivan gets position on Missisquoi’s Madison Gagne in a struggle in the course of Saturday’s match at VUHS. Missisquoi held off a Commodore comeback bid to get, 56-53.
Independent image/Steve James

The Commodores will not enter the D-III postseason with a higher seed this 12 months, but Waller believes endeavours like Saturday’s and the stage of competitors they have played displays they are able of performing injury.

“I truly feel like with the plan we’ve played we’re as well prepared as we could be,” Waller claimed. “We couldn’t do something much more to put together ourselves than what we’re undertaking correct now.”