Lady Wolverines kick off season against Melba

The Lady Wolverine basketball team kicked off their regular season play on Nov. 19. with a home pairing against the Melba Mustangs.
 The Wolverines played a close game with the Mustangs through the first quarter with seniors Maddie Erickson and Jenifer Juarez and sophomore Tobie Noyer all scoring a basket during the quarter.  Sophomore Macy Maloney drained a bucket from beyond the arc for a quarter total of  nine points.  
 The Wolverine defense forced the Mustangs to take low-percentage shots beyond the arc and allowed only seven points from the field. However, Wolverine shooting fouls placed the Mustangs on the free throw line three times during the period.  Fortunately, the Mustangs were only able to capitalize on 50 percent of the opportunities, scoring only 3-points from the line, which left the Wolverines trailing by only 1-point at the end of the first quarter.
 The Wolverines continued to work hard and sophomore Mattie Shirts was instrumental in the second period, scoring six points in the paint for the Wolverines.  
 Noyer added another basket to her credit and Erickson also had another basket and a free throw for a second period total of 11 points.  
 Despite continuing to force the Mustangs to the outside for shots, the Mustangs were able to penetrate the Wolverine defense for 13 points from the field and a free throw.
 The Lady Wolverines headed into the halftime break trailing 20-24.
 Shooting troubles continued into the second half for the Lady Wolverines, shooting 29 percent from the field.  
 Shirts and Noyer each found their mark with two point baskets and Maloney added another three to her tally, but the Wolverines continued to allow the Mustangs shooting opportunities.  
 The Mustangs also shot 29 percent from the field, but managed nine points from their 14 shots and three free throws, outscoring the Wolverines 12-7 and expanding their lead 36-27.
 The Wolverines stepped up their offense in the fourth quarter, but their shots did not fall and only sophomore Jasi Yraguen and Shirts were able to add to the score with two points apiece, despite 19 attempts from the field.  
 Meanwhile, the Mustangs seemed able to hit everything they threw up and added 12 points from three point land and four points from two point buckets.  
 Wolverine fouls did not help matters during the period and previous troubles from the line were no longer a problem for the Mustangs, scoring 6 of 10 and outscoring the Wolverines 22-5 in the period and taking the game from the Wolverines 58-32.
 Mattie Shirts led the Wolverines with 10-points, followed by Erickson, Noyer and Maloney with 6-points each.  Yraguen and Juarez added 2-points apiece.
 Both the junior varsity and the frosh/soph squads had exciting and close games.  However, they both came up short with the JV falling to the Mustangs 38-42 and the frosh/soph losing 23-21.