This story is sponsored by: American Family Insurance-Randy LeMoine Agency
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – Sole possession of first place in the Wisconsin Valley Conference girls basketball standings was on the line Friday night as Marshfield hosted rival Stevens Point, and it came down to just one little stretch that made the difference.
The Tigers fought back from an 11-point halftime deficit to take a brief one-point lead before Stevens Point went on a 9-3 run to take control and went on to a 51-45 victory on at the Fredrick Construction Fieldhouse at Marshfield High School.
Stevens Point moves to 9-3 overall and 4-0 in the WVC, while Marshfield falls to 4-7 and 3-1 in conference play after suffering its fifth-straight loss overall.
Lydia Johnson scored six points in a 10-3 run for the Panthers as they took a 25-14 lead with just under four minutes to go in the first half.
Marshfield was able to respond and cut the deficit to 27-23 by halftime as Emma Ridgway scored on a put-back just before the buzzer.
The Tigers went on top 30-29 after a rebound and basket by Hailey Klumb and two free throws from Zaida Kolbeck.
With the game tied 33-33, Marshfield did not score from the field for four minutes and Stevens Point took advantage. Jada Seubert had a three-point play and a 3-pointer to help the Panthers take a 40-37 lead.
Marshfield hung close with a Kolbeck basket making it 42-41 with 7:35 left, but again the Tigers couldn’t get anything going offensively. Stevens Point pushed the lead to five as Marshfield failed to score for five minutes and this time the Tigers could not recover.
The Tigers made just two of their last 16 field goal attempts.
Seubert had 17 points and Johnson 15 for the Panthers. Kolbeck led the Tigers with 15 points and Ridgway had 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Marshfield’s next game is Tuesday at Wausau West.
Panthers 51, Tigers 45
Stevens Point 27 24 – 51
Marshfield 23 22 – 45
STEVENS POINT (51): Leah Awe 4-9 0-0 10, Lydia Johnson 7-9 1-3 15, Jada Seubert 5-21 6-9 17, Mea Abiad 0-0 0-0 0, Ashley Miller 0-0 0-0 0, Jacinta Zdroik 0-1 0-0 0, Macy Nystrom 0-2 1-2 1, Jayla Mabon 0-0 0-1 0, Lindsey Weiler 3-8 2-6 8. FG: 19-50. FT: 10-21. 3-pointers: 3-12 (Awe 2-3, Seubert 1-8, Weiler 0-1). Rebounds: 42 (Weiler 12). Turnovers: 16. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: none. Record: 9-3, 4-0 Wisconsin Valley Conference.
MARSHFIELD (45): McKenzie Holm 2-11 0-0 6, Zaida Kolbeck 4-16 6-9 15, Deyn LeMoine 2-3 0-0 4, Hailey Klumb 3-11 1-3 7, Lauryn Katzenberger 0-2 0-2 0, Kylie Laufenberg 0-4 0-0 0, Emma Ridgway 5-10 2-6 13. FG: 16-57. FT: 9-20. 3-pointers: 4-22 (Holm 2-8, Ridgway 1-2, Kolbeck 1-7, Katzenberger 0-2, Laufenberg 0-3). Rebounds: 38 (Klumb 13, Ridgway 12). Turnovers: 12. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: none. Record: 4-7, 3-1 Wisconsin Valley Conference.