UTICA – The Lady Raiders are currently ranked #5 among the 16 teams in Region 3. On Saturday they went to Utica to meet the #2-ranked Lady Hawks of Mohawk Valley CC. The hosts lived up to their high ranking and defeated the FM Five 89-63.
Photo: Evanda Redwood sinking one of her three 3-pointers
The Lady Raiders began the game without their usual scoring touch, and the Lady Hawks began the contest with a swarming, stifling defense. If FM missed a shot, an MV defender usually grabbed the rebound, quickly ending that offensive foray.
After eight minutes, FM trailed by only one point, at 11-10, but then MV's offense got up to speed. The Lady Hawks moved out to a 25-12 lead. FM was able to trim that lead a bit. Stephanie Rice sank a jumper. Jessica Woney drove the baseline for two. Woney then sank a 3-pointer from NBA range. Radasha Pope sank both shots of a one-and-one. Silvia Vasquez Rivera drained a three from the left side. But Mohawk Valley still led 39-31 at the break.
Photo: Silvia Vasquez Rivera guards MV's Shelbey Kralik
The home team excelled in the second half. Vasquez Rivera tallied 10 points for FM in the second stanza, but the Lady Hawks would not be stopped. MV poured in 50 second-half points.
The Lady Raiders had won seven games in a row before the Lady Hawks ended the streak. FM's next outing will also be challenging. The Lady Raiders will host the region's #1-ranked team, the Saints of North Country CC, on Wednesday, Feb. 11, at 5:00 p.m.
C.J. Bonny, website writer
Photo: Stephanie Rice sinks a left-handed jumper
Scoring:
FMCC: Vasquez Rivera 6-0-15, Pope 1-5-7, Woney 2-7-13, Rice 3-6-12, Redwood 4-2-13, Shepard 1-0-2, Boyer 0-1-1; Totals 17-22-63
Three-point goals: 7 (Vasquez Rivera 3, Redwood 3, Woney)
Mohawk Valley: Fauvelle 2-1-7, Galay 1-0-2, Ray 7-0-18, Kralik 4-2-13, Garcia 1-0-3, Pierce 4-0-8, Jepsen 1-1-3, Dublin 2-1-5, Giles 9-12-30; Totals 31-17-89
Three-point goals: 10 (Fauvelle 2, Ray 4, Kralik 3, Garcia)
Halftime: 39-31, MV
Records: FM 16-6 (10-3), Mohawk Valley 21-3 (12-1)
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