Foul Trouble Haunts Lady Cougars

It can be very difficult to win games when you are constantly sending the opposing team to the free-throw line.

The Bellmore JFK Lady Cougars learned that the hard way when they sent Syosset to the free throw line fifteen different times last night, while only making two trips to the line themselves. The lopsided free-throw distribution played a major factor in the final score, as the Lady Cougars fell, 44-34.

Kennedy coach Debra Cipolla-Minafo was handcuffed all game as nearly her entire roster faced foul trouble.

"You couldn't really see what we could do because we were all in foul trouble," Cipolla-Minafo said. "The fouls were fifteen to two, and in result we had to regroup and put people in positions that they weren't comfortable in, so that really hurt us."

Kennedy began the game successfully, scoring the first six points to take an early lead. It wasn't until midway through the quarter when Syosset finally scored their first points, when sophomore Lauren Marturo sunk a couple of free throws to put them on the board.

Kennedy played strong defense throughout the first quarter, allowing only a single field goal. Their defense was highlighted when junior Carly Thea hustled back to block what had appeared to be an easy fast-break layup by Syosset's Victoria Savarese. Kennedy led after the first quarter, 13-8, with nine of their points coming from junior Morgan Kitton.  Six of Syosset's eight points came from the free-throw line. 

"I think we played well and that our prepping worked out," Kitton said. "But we just didn't move the ball around and get our shots and nail them."

Kennedy would struggle offensively in the second quarter, scoring just four points. In fact, the Lady Cougars did not score their first points of the quarter until there was 1:47 remaining. They continued their strong defensive play, holding the Braves to nine points in the quarter. However, Syosset would tie the game up for the first time at 13-13 with 3:26 remaining after a fast-break layup by sophomore Dominique Compito.

The two teams went into the half deadlocked at 17 a piece.

The Braves started off the third quarter strongly, grabbing a five point lead. However, Kennedy scored six quick points in a little more than a minute to take the lead 25-24 with 3:25 remaining.

But it was short-lived as they continued to send Syosset to the free throw line, at one point handing them three consecutive free throws after a technical foul by Thea. After the free throws, Syosset's Victoria Ciavarella would hit the first three-pointer of the game to give them a seven point lead. The Braves would end the quarter leading by a score of 34-29.

"We dealt with how physical and athletic they are," Syosset coach Doug Schumacher said. "They're really athletic and really fast. When we stopped making mistakes we didn't give them any opportunities to make layups, and they struggled with our zone. But it was the lack of turnovers that really got us back in the game."

Kennedy continued their offensive struggles in the fourth quarter, scoring a total of five points. Ciavarella would hit another three-pointer with six minutes remaining to give Syosset an eight point lead that they would not relinquish. With the strong play of Savarese (16 points), Lesse (8 points), Ciavarella (6 points), and Maturo (7 points), the Braves secured the victory. 

Savarese, the game's high-scorer, was thrilled with her team's performance and credited the team's preparation for the victory.

"We had been practicing against man-to-man defense because we knew that's what they'd be playing,"  Savarese said. "We really showed up as a team today, and we really wanted to win."

Kitton led the Lady Cougars with 11 points, while senior Taylor Kruter chipped in with five points.  Senior Steph Roney and Thea both tallied four points each.

With the victory, Syosset (8-3, 9-6) jumped Kennedy (7-3, 9-6) in the standings. The teams sit in second and third place respectively, trailing only Great Neck South (8-1, 12-2). Next, the Lady Cougars host East Meadow (3-7, 5-10) tomorrow at 7 p.m.