Bulldogs bite back against Chelsea

Published 12:52 am Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Montevallo's Natalie Holsomback drives to the basket in a win over Chelsea Dec. 3. (Contributed/Amy Pintaro)

Montevallo’s Natalie Holsomback drives to the basket in a win over Chelsea Dec. 3. (Contributed/Amy Pintaro)

By TREY HICKMAN/For the Reporter

MONTEVALLO What a difference a single shot can make.

Emri Hannah’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer to end the first half seem to invigorate host Montevallo (3-4) as the Lady Bulldogs took down Chelsea 38-25.

“She hit that three to give us a little more comfortable lead and I think it did give us a little bit of a spark,” said Montevallo head coach Tena Niven. “We have to play defense. We have to score off defense because we don’t shoot as well. I thought we picked it up a little more in the second half. Of course the officials are letting us play (in terms of not calling as many fouls). And Chelsea was being just as aggressive. They are a good team. They fought the whole time.”

With Montevallo up by only two with mere seconds remaining in the opening half, Hannah drained her bomb to put the Bulldogs up 14-9 at the break. Montevallo amped things up after intermission, scoring 14 of its 38 points in the third period. In the fourth quarter, Isabel Gallo recorded four of her game-high 10 points as the Bulldogs got the win.

“It was a physical game,” Niven said. “Both teams were getting after it and it’s fun to watch that kind of basketball.”

Offensively for Montevallo, Gallo led the way with her 10 points, followed by Natalie Holsomback’s eight.

Brooklyn Smitherman paced the Hornets (1-7) with nine points while Whitney Thorpe posted six.