RIMERSBURG, Pa. (D9Sports) — A quick start proved to be the difference for the Union girls’ basketball team in a 49-34 win over visiting Clarion Thursday night in the first game of a doubleheader with the boys’ teams from the schools.
Union scored the game’s first 11 points while building a 16-1 lead 10 minutes into the contest.
“That was a big thing for us,” Union junior point guard Lexey Shick, who had 15 points, five rebounds, five steals and two assists said. “This game was a big game for us because we were both 8-5. This is a huge win for us, especially after last year when we lost (to Clarion) by two.
Defense was the name of the game for Union, especially in the first half.
The Golden Damsels limited Clarion to just three made baskets in the opening half while forcing 19 turnovers with nine steals.
The Lady Cats missed their first nine shots before Jenna Beichner broke the drought with a layup with 4:29 left in the first half, and Union scored 15 points off Clarion turnovers in the first 16 minutes including 11 of 14 first-quarter points coming off Lady Cat giveaways.
Up 14, 25-11, at halftime, Union made sure Clarion wasn’t going to entertain thoughts of a comeback scoring seven of the first 11 points of the second half to get the lead to 17, 32-15, two minutes into the half.
“That was huge,” Shick said. “Patience was a big thing in this game. As long as we had the ball and were in control, that is all we needed.”
Shaley Shick, Lexey’s older sister, also scored 15 points for the Golden Damsels while adding four rebounds, four steals and two assists, while Frankee Remmick, despite foul trouble, added nine points, seven rebounds, four steals and two helpers.
Clarion got seven points and seven rebounds from Maddy Weaver and seven points and three steals from Anna Reed.
The win is the sixth straight for Union, which started the year 3-5
“We are just all around a better team this year,” Lexey Shick said. “We have better team chemistry, and our goal is to make playoffs. We just really want to do that for our coach.”
UNION 49, CLARION 34
Score by Quarters
Clarion 1 10 9 14 — 34
Union 14 11 14 10 — 49
CLARION — 34
Kelly Beveridge 1 4-6 6, Maddy Weaver 3 1-2 7, Anna Reed 2 3-4 7, Jenna Beichner 1 0-0 2, Sophie Wolf 1 0-0 2, Gloria Kroh 1 1-2 3, Alexis Constantino 0 1-2 1, Keanna Over 0 0-0 0, Maya Thornton 0 0-0 0, Wendy Beveridge 2 2-5 6. Totals 11 12-21 34.
UNION — 49
Lexey Shick 6 0-1 15, Frankee Remmick 1 7-11 9, Shaley Shick 3 8-8 15, Hannah Atzeni 1 0-0 2, Kali Flick 2 1-2 6, Bryn Davis 0 0-1 0, Hailey Schrecengost 1 0-0 2, Ali Roraback 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 16-23 49.
THREE-POINTERS — Union 5 (L. Shick 3, S. Shick, Flick).
Story by Chris Rossetti
