Tyrone coach Luke Rhoades believes the day is coming soon when the Lady Eagles break through with the kind of big win that can give his young and inexperienced team the confidence it needs to win again and again.
After games like last night’s on the road against Indian Valley, that day can’t come soon enough for the Lady Eagles, which fell to 2-6 with a 63-45 loss, their fourth straight.
It was a game Tyrone led early and was on the cusp of breaking wide open. But without starting post Lindsey Christine – out with an illness – and with only 10 total players dressed on both jayvee and varsity, when the early lead evaporated, there was little for the Lady Eagles to fall back on offensively.
“We’re one spurt away right now,” said Rhoades. “Eventually it will happen and the experience will kick in and things will be fine.”
Tyrone jumped ahead 8-0 in the first quarter, but was behind the eight ball quickly after junior guard Kayla Corle picked up her second foul. By the end of the period, Valley had climbed all the way back and led 14-13.
Corle was tagged with her third foul early in the second quarter and the Lady Warriors extended their lead to 26-21 by halftime.
The lead grew to 11 in the third quarter, and by that time the depleted Lady Eagles were running on empty.
“We played hard, but once we get down, we’re not a team that can battle back,” said Rhoades. “We exert so much effort trying to stay with a team, it’s hard to battle back.”
One case in point is senior Liz Tepsic, the Lady Eagles’ top scorer. In the first half, when Tyrone led briefly and battled with Valley, Tepsic scored 13 points and dominated the paint. But fatigue became a factor in the third quarter, and Tepsic finished the game with 15 points.
“Liz dominated the first half, but she was a little tired in the second half,” said Rhoades. “And that’s not to say she doesn’t deserve to be tired because she’s playing the whole game, but we really can’t take her out.”
Tyrone was able to limit the Lady Warriors’ top scorer, Jesse Mernin, to just three points on one field goal. In her place, Jesse Mernin poured in 16 points, as did sophomore Steph Zewe.
Kassie Faretta scored nine for Tyrone, while Corle managed eight in her limited action.
Tyrone hosts Huntingdon Friday, and Rhoades is hoping his team’s psyche is up to the task after two weeks of playing the top teams in three of the District’s four classifications.
“It’s frustrating right now,” he said. “I just hope the girls don’t get too down. They’re working so hard right now.”
Indiana Valley 63 Tyrone 45
Tyrone – Tepsic 7 1-3 15; Turiano 1 1-1 3; Corle 2 4-4 8; Faretta 4 0-0 9; Garbinsky 1 2-2 5; Emigh 1 1-2 3; Fogel 0 0-0 0; Kobuck 1 0-0 2; Harden 0 0-0 0; Hunter 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 17 9-12 45.
Indian Valley – Ruby 0 2-2 2; Corbin 2 0-0 4; Narehood 4 0-0 9; Sward 0 0-0 0; Harmon1 0-0 3; Mernin 8 1-1 18; Schucze 2 5-9 9; Zewe 6 4-5 16; Shearer 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 22 11-14 63.
Tyrone 13 8 12 12 45
Indian Valley 14 12 18 15 63
Three-point goals: Tyrone 2 (Faretta, Garbinsky); Indian Valley 3 (Narehood, Harmon, Mernin)
