BUTLER TWP — Before the game even started, the Butler girls basketball team trailed.

It was a bad omen for things to come.

A scorebook error gave visiting Altoona two technical foul shots to start the game and the Lions converted on one of them for a 1-0 lead.

Four minutes later, Altoona's lead was 20-2. By the end of the first quarter, the Lions led 30-9 and Butler never recovered in a 70-39 loss Thursday night.

“We don't score enough points as it is,” said Butler coach Dorothea Epps. “And then you get behind, its so hard to fight back. We have to find some kind of way to score some easy baskets and even in our halfcourt offense, we need someone else to score besides Cait Baxter.”

Baxter, one of two sophomores in the starting lineup for Butler (1-4), finished with 15 points. She scored the first six points of the game for the Golden Tornado and 11 of the team's 16 points at the half.

It didn't matter much, though, what Butler did early. Altoona (5-1) was hot from the floor.

The Lions were 11-of-12 shooting from the floor in the first quarter, including 5-of-6 on 3-pointers to bury Butler.

“They shot the lights out in the first quarter,” Epps said. “We're not able to play the same pressure defense we're used to. If you are able to do that, some of those scores don't come so easy. We've got so many injuries, we're locked into a zone just to try to stay in the game.”

Senior Ali Sedwick is lost for the season with a torn ACL and sophomore guard Sam Marak was out with a banged up knee.

She was marked as a starter in the scorebook, prompting the technical to start the game.

“It's been one of those years for sure,” Epps said.

Courtney Becker led four Altoona players in double digits with 13 points. The Lions' leading scorer this season, Lysa Mealing, was out with wrist and hand injuries.

Despite the poor first half, Epps was pleased with how Butler performed in the second half.

The two teams played even in the final two quarters

Epps asked her team a simple question at the half.

“‘Do you want to come out here and embarrass yourselves or do you want to come out here and fight?'” Epps said.

Epps was pleased her team chose the second option.

“We've always been a team, up or down, that has always come out and fought,” Epps said.

Now, Epps hopes her team will keep fighting through what has been a difficult early part of the season.

“Hopefully it's all going to come together,” Epps said. “I was pleased in some areas, but the scoring still is our problem.”

ALTOONA 70Kayla Decriscio 3-5 1-2 10, Marrysa Moyer 2-6 2-2 6, Shelby Reimer 1-5 2-2 4, Courtney Becker 6-7 1-1 13, Lauren Hippo 4-4 2-2 10, Kayla Grimme 2-3 0-0 4, Kelly Davis 5-8 0-0 11, Courtney Dry 2-3 1-2 7, Kaycie Reffner 2-3 1-2 5, Brianna Luciano 0-1 0-1 0, Kaylah Alexander 0-1 0-0 0, Shania Feather 0-0 0-0 0, Summer Feathers 0-1 0-0 0.

Totals: 27-47 10-14 70.

BUTLER 39Morgan McLaughlin 0-3 0-0 0, Mackenzie O'Donnell 0-1 2-2 2, Jasmine Bailey 5-9 0-1 10, Emily Eyth 3-8 0-1 8, Shelby Johnston 2-9 0-2 4, Alexandra Houk 0-2 0-0 0, Caitlin Baxter 5-14 5-6 15.

Totals: 15-46 7-12 39.

Altoona 30 17 14 9—70Butler 9 7 12 11—393-point goals: Alroona 6 (Decriscio 3, Davis, Dry 2); Butler 2 (Eyth 2).

JV Score: Altoona 32-17

Monday: Butler at Hempfield Tournament