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PUBLISHED: Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Lange, Lady Raiders hold off Redskins, 33-32, in OT



MARLETTE - Contrasting defensive styles dominated play all night long, but it was the offense of Jenna Lange that proved to be the difference in the final seven minutes.

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The 6'1" senior guard/forward scored nine of her game-high 13 points down the stretch to help the Lady Raiders of Marlette upend Sandusky, 33-32, in overtime Thursday night. The win lifted Marlette to 2-0 in the GTC East and 5-2 overall. The Lady Redskins fell to 1-1, suffering their first defeat in eight games this season and ending a 33-game regular-season winning streak.

The two teams, both looking for a division title this winter, duked it out in half-court drama all evening in Raider Pavilion. The Lady Raiders, with their size up front, stayed with a two-three zone and the Lady Redskins mostly applied their robust usual man-to-man.

"When we get together (with Sandusky) it's been a defensive slugfest lately," said Marlette coach Fred Mroczek, seemingly still a little exhausted from the important division contest.

But, it was Lange that put together a decisive hot-streak from the floor.

Marlette lost a lead it had held since midway in the first quarter, early in the final quarter of regulation. Back-to-back buckets by freshman Lauren Krause and reserve guard Kayla Mendoza of the 'Skins knotted the game at 23-23 with 5:41 to go.

Lange's jumper at 3:16 put Marlette ahead by two. She then pet her team back on top twice more with jumpers on mismatch, pick and roll plays. The first was after Sandusky's Monica Chambers converted a steal into a lay-up and the next following a lay-up by Cassy VanConant.

It was VanConant, the 6'2" senior, that forced the OT when she swished a jumper from the right- side of the free throw line with 10 seconds left to make it 29-29.

Sandusky scored first in the overtime when junior Maddie Hale banked in a feed down low from VanConant.

After the teams traded a free throw each, Lange gunned a three-pointer with 1:04 left that proved to be the game-winner. The Lady Redskins had two more opportunities to score but failed to get off a good shot.

Mroczek said Lange's play is what he was expecting from a senior leader. "She really wants the ball in these situations and she really cashed in.

"Sandusky did such a nice job plugging the middle ant not giving Kelsey (Hall, 6'2" center) any room," continued Mroczek. "But Kendra (Smith, a 6'2" post) and Kelsey set some great screens to get Jenna open."

Coach Al DeMott of Sandusky added, "They did a good job of screening for her and she hit the big points."

DeMott also said the Raiders' size and zone was a problem all night. "Their height bothered us. We were 2-for-14 from the floor in the second quarter and 14-for-52 for the game. They blocked a lot shots in the paint, too."

Marlette, after trailing early, 4-3, went on an 8-0 run to close the first quarter with an 11-4 lead. Senior guard Catherine Distelrath scored four of those points. Sandusky shaved it to 11-9 but a basket by Caitlin King and one by Lange put Marlette up by four, 15-9, at halftime.

After trailing by as much as eight, the Lady 'Skins began its slow surge back. A triple by sophomore Marisa DeMott made it, t21-16. That, however, was the only basket of the night by the area's leading scorer. Smith put in an offensive rebound for Marlette moments later before Krause connected on a three to make it 23-19 before the end of the third quarter.

While Hall finished with just four points, she did her job on the defensive end, finishing with 16 rebounds, 11 on the defensive boards, and six blocks. Smith added five rebounds, four points and a block.

VanConant led Sandusky with 12 points. Hale followed with seven points, plus six boards.

DeMott credited Marlette's defense for its play, but also lauded his own team. "I couldn't be more pleased with our defensive effort. The kids really worked hard." The Lady Redskins will now look ahead, he added. "The kids will bounce back. They'll learn from this game and go on."





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