Faith Academy girls basketball loses 2nd district game
CAPTION: Faith Academy senior Elleson Lehmberg and the Lady Flames look for defensive stops in an effort to trim the deficit to Waco Live Oak Jan. 20. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
The Faith Academy of Marble Falls girls basketball team lost to Waco Live Oak 57-44 Jan. 20 in District 3-3A play of the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools.
Trailing 49-33 at the end of the third period, head coach Kat Canada gathered her players and challenged them.
“Y’all have eight buckets in you,” she recalled saying. “It’s doable. We can climb up there.”
When the Lady Flames (3-2) stepped back on the floor, senior post Morgan Weems scored and senior guard Ella Cozby found senior guard Elleson Lemberg for a fast break bucket to cut the deficit to 49-37.
Cozby added two free throws and a 3-pointer thanks to a pass from senior forward Claire Poage though Faith still trailed 53-42 with 1 minute and 25 seconds left in the contest.
While Canada applauded her players’ efforts in the fourth quarter, she noted the start of the contest turned out to be a challenge. Live Oak took an 18-10 lead that went to 31-17 at the half.
“We dug ourselves in a hole,” she said. “We always dig ourselves in a hole when we compete with these teams and we wait.”
Freshman Lilly Koziel scored 5 of the Lady Flames’ 16 third-quarter points. Freshman Kenley Virdell scored all 6 of her points in the first period.
“(Koziel) definitely changed the game on offense and defense. She gave us a different momentum that helps our seniors,” Canada said. “Kenley did really well. She came in and gave us three quick buckets. I think that helped us get going.”
Weems led with 14 points followed by Virdell with 6, sophomore post Natalie Weems, Cozby and Koziel all added 5, senior guard Audri Poage dropped in 4, and Lehmberg finished with 2.
Faith Academy welcomes Round Rock Christian at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23.
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