Lady Hounds can't catch up to Lafayette

Faced with a 17-point halftime deficit, the Lady Hounds played well enough on defense in the second half to pull off a comeback.

They just couldn't muster enough offense.

Despite holding Lafayette to eight second half points, the Lady Hounds only shaved four off the halftime margin and lost 37-24 in the semifinals of the Savannah Invitational Thursday night.

Maryville (0-2) got as close as 32-22 on the second of back-to-back baskets by Ann Coleman, but scored just two more points the rest of the way.

That came on a putback by Coleman at the buzzer to create the final score.

Lafayette (2-0) advanced to play Chillicothe in the tournament finals Saturday at 8 p.m. Maryville, which has averaged 27 points in its first two games, gets Savannah in the third place game at 6:30 p.m.

Coleman and Blair Twaddle were Maryville's high scorers with six points. Cassie Holtman scored two second quarter baskets for her four points. Chelsea Byland and Gabby Church each had three points.

Lafayette's Oceonna Weston was the only player on either team in double-figures with 12 points. She was 6-7 at the foul line and went over 1,000 points in her career in the first half.

Ashley Hinkle scored nine points, all in the first half. Ariel Dydell and DJ Weston each had six points.

The Irish scored the game's first six points and played from in front the whole way.

With a steal and layup by Twaddle and two Holtman baskets, the Lady Hounds trimmed a nine-point deficit down to three at 15-12 in the second.

The Irish went on to score the final 14 points of the half to take a 29-12 lead. Maryville held Lafayette to three third quarter points, but still trailed by 12 going to the fourth.