Irish hold off spirited Boardman rally

Photo by: Nick Mays

Special to the Vindicator

Photo

Villida Whitehead (14) drives to the hoop as Kayleigh Lipke (40), Jenna Kuczek (33) and Brooke Meenachan (21) play defense during their game Wednesday night in Youngstown.

By John Bassetti

bassetti@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN

Boardman could have used another quarter, but the clock ran out as Ursuline’s girls basketball team weathered the Spartans for a 51-45 victory Wednesday night.

Kayleigh Lipke’s putback pulled Boardman (3-4) within 47-43 in the last three minutes, but the Spartans could get no closer in a game in which they trailed, 40-29, after three quarters.

In the closing minutes, Boardman’s Nikki Hillard got a defensive rebound to give the Spartans another possession. But a missed shot ended up in Ursuline’s hands and the Irish (5-2) finished strong.

“We were within four and called a play,” Boardman coach Ron Moschella said. “If we would have converted, that would have made it interesting.”

Junior Aurielle Irizarry had 16 points and junior Briana Curd had a career-high 15 for Ursuline, while Brooke Meenachan’s 17 points for Boardman topped all scorers.

“They did a great job in the second half of pressuring us and taking us out of some of the things that we want to do,” Ursuline coach Sean Durkin said. “But I think we probably got a little tired. We were in some foul trouble, so some people had to play more minutes than we wish they would have. But Boardman deserves credit for turning that around in the fourth, so we’re happy we held on.”

Both teams had players in foul trouble: Ursuline’s Courtney Powell and Ja’niece Whitehead, and Lipke.

“We need Courtney in the game, that’s no secret,” Durkin said of his player who had three fouls with 3:38 remaining in the third period. “She’s a big weapon in our arsenal, so, for us to beat a program of Boardman’s stature without her, I’m happy to walk out of here with a win.”

Sophomore Sydney Beasley played a key role near the finish when she pushed Ursuline’s fragile lead from 47-43 to 49-43 with 1:23 left.

Besides Irizarry’s points and all-around play and Powell’s presence, Durkin credited Curd for stepping up her game.

“She came up big for us in a game when we needed someone to step up like that,” Durkin said of Curd, who was averaging 7.5 ppg. “She’s been solid. Not only did she score 15, but she did it at the big times.”

Moschella singled out the contributions of Meenachan and Lipke in the game in which Boardman took a 6-0 lead, before quickly falling behind.

“They got a big lead because their pressure affected us and then our pressure affected them,” he said. “Plus, losing Powell hurt them.

“Brooke played hard and aggressive and Lipke was our girl on the boards, but it was like turnover city out there. That’s something we have to learn.”