Girls Basketball: Loyola staves off Mother McAuley
By Matt Harness For Sun-Times Media January 19, 2012 11:06PM
Mother McAuley's Kristen Kleist (14) and Loyola's Kim Funk (5) scramble for a loose ball. | Vincent D. Johnson~For Sun Times Media
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Updated: February 21, 2012 8:37AM
This is showcase week for girls basketball teams, and Loyola already is making a strong case for a high seed at next week’s sectional meeting.
After beating Fremd on Monday, the Ramblers earned a 47-41 win Thursday over host Mother McAuley.
“We knew this was a big game for us,” Loyola’s Lauren Kriz said. “This game was worth a lot to us.”
Loyola improved to 17-6 overall and 6-1 in the GCAC Red. The Ramblers likely will be the second seed at the conference tournament, which starts Jan. 30. The loss was the second for the No. 8 Mighty Macs (13-9) in league play.
Kriz scored six of her 10 points in the fourth quarter. Her press-breaking layup put the Ramblers up 44-39 with 1:08 to go. She then blocked a three-point try on the other end.
“I saw the lane open up, so I just took it,” Kriz said.
Loyola secured the victory with three free throws in the final 23.6 seconds.
But the Mighty Macs weren’t easy to put away.
They trailed by nine early in the second half before an 8-0 run, capped by Tiffany Fortune’s three-point play, gave them their first lead of the game with 1:22 to go in the third quarter.
Alyssa Siwek then scored back-to-back baskets to start the fourth to lift McAuley to a 35-32 advantage.
The Ramblers rallied behind Kriz, who started an 8-1 run. Anna Schueler’s three-point play put the Ramblers ahead 40-36 with 4:18 to go.
The Mighty Macs got as close as two, but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Schueler scored 15 points for Loyola, while K.C. Stralka added 10 points.
Siwek took scoring honors with 20 points.
“We realize we only have so many games left in our careers,” Kriz said.
The seeding meeting is Jan. 26, and the pairings will be announced Jan. 27.
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