[score id=”43044″ align=”right”]After becoming the first team in school history to post a perfect 20-0 record in the regular season and advancing deep into the playoffs, the girls basketball team’s historic run came to a close, falling to the defending state champion, 23-3 Eleanor Roosevelt Raiders 48-30 Thursday night in the state semifinals at Towson University.
The Vikings (23-1) were at a significant disadvantage from the opening tip, losing one of their top players, guard Marie Hatch, to a fractured fibula suffered late in their regional finals win over the Wootton Patriots. In a sign of team solidarity, the Vikings’ warm-up shirts featured Hatch’s number 32. Before the game, she received a generous applause from the Whitman faithful, a touching moment to a memorable campaign.
Forward Livy Meyers filled in for Hatch and played strong defense, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a dominating 33-point, 16-rebound performance by Raiders forward Kaila Charles.
Guard Hannah Niles led the Vikings with 14 points and forward Betsy Knox added six. Leading scorer, guard Abby Meyers, was held to only four points after getting into early foul trouble.
The Raiders stormed out of the gates, going on a quick 9-2 run to start the game, a lead they would never relinquish. Penetrating defense caused five Raiders steals and eight Viking turnovers in the first quarter alone. The Vikings tried to fight back, answering with three blocked shots and a forced shot-clock violation to stay close at 13-8.
The next eight minutes featured intense play with bodies flying on the floor, as both teams scrambled for loose balls on several possessions, an element of the game coach Peter Kenah predicted would determine the winner.
But despite five early second quarter points, including the Vikings’ only three-pointer of the game, from Niles, foul trouble plagued the team. Niles picked up her third, while Abby Meyers and captain forward Alison Poffley were each called for two.
The Raiders took advantage of the Vikings’ key players on the bench to go on a 10-4 run, only to have Whitman cut the deficit to 23-19 at the half.
The third quarter was a stalemate, with both teams unable to convert on scoring chances, due to tight defense. At the end of three, the Vikings trailed 31-26.
The absence of Hatch’s defensive prowess especially showed in the fourth quarter. After trying to mount a comeback early, the Vikings gave up seven straight points and, with 3:03 remaining, a three-point play extended the Raiders’ lead to 12, all but sealing the Vikings fate.
Although a disappointing way to end the year, the 4A West Regional Champion Lady Vikes will look to be right back where they ended up this year when they step back on the court for the 2015-2016 season.
