NA too much for Raiders
JACKSON TWP — With an offense still trying to hit its stride, the Seneca Valley girls basketball team must rely on defense to keep it in games.
North Allegheny had other ideas.
The Tigers broke open a nine-point game at halftime by scoring 23 points in the third quarter and beat the Raiders 63-42 on their own floor Thursday.
NA's attack included seven 3-pointers.
"Outside shooting has been a focus for us all year," said Tigers coach Sherri McConnell. "We have several girls who can make them from that range and it's no surprise we did well tonight."
NA benefitted from 26 Seneca Valley turnovers. The Raiders (1-10, 1-4) had 37 turnovers in a loss to Pine-Richland on Monday.
"The turnovers hurt us again and, defensively, we didn't do a good job of getting back in transition," said SV coach Kelly Mathews. "I was disappointed in our defensive effort tonight."
Leading 27-18 at halftime, the Tigers opened the second half with a 9-0 run that halted when SV's Alyssa Miller drained a 3-pointer to make it 36-21.
But NA's balanced scoring proved to be too much for the Raiders.
Alexis Aiken (13 points), Julie Figan and Kelly Brennan (each with 11) all scored in double figures, while Dawn Murphy and Zoe Calabrese each tallied eight points.
The Tigers (4-1, 7-5) shot 16-of-19 from the free-throw line.
Senior guard Aly Eagle led Seneca Valley with 11 points, including three 3-pointers.
NORTH ALLEGHENY 63Julie Figan 4 1-1 11, Alexis Aiken 5 1-1 13, Kelly Brennan 3 4-7 11, Chandler Caufield 0 4-4 4, Andrea Elmore 2 0-0 4, Alysia Libby 0 4-4 4, Dawn Murphy 2 2-2 8, Zoe Calabrese 4 0-0 8, Leslie Barksdale 0 0-0 0, Emily Bergman 0 0-0 0, Alex Blumer 0 0-0 0. Totals: 20 16-19 63.
SENECA VALLEY 42Julia Vandrak 1 0-0 2, Aly Eagle 4 0-0 11, Alyssa Miller 3 0-0 7, Brianna Sieminski 1 0-0 2, Kara Moyer 1 0-0 2, Alex Karika 3 0-1 6, Dani Fitzgerald 1 2-2 4, Catherine Messmer 1 6-6 8, Beth Talarico 0 0-0 0, Gabby Allen 0 0-0 0, Paige Tretter 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 8-9 42.
North Allegheny 18 9 23 13—63Seneca Valley 9 9 14 10—423-point goals: North Allegheny 7 (Figan 2, Aiken 2, Murphy 2, Brennan); Seneca Valley 4 (Eagle 3, Miller).
JV: NA 49-25 (SV-Beth Talarico, 8 points).
Tuesday: Seneca Valley at Butler
