Lady Bruins Battle Bulldogs

February 8, 2020

The Lady Bruins had a tough assignment Friday night as the 7-0 Sutherlin Lady Bulldogs rolled into town determined to keep an unblemished record.

Junior guard Lexee Murray starting the Lady Bruin offense.

Coach Schofield and his 5-2 Lady Bruins, after suffering some early hiccups are fighting for a play-off spot as well as positioning. The Lady Bulldogs ran early on the Lady Bruins, and combined with good defensive play put the Lady Bruins in difficult situations.

Senior forward Alonna Nalls #2 with the pressure defense.

Senior Sidney Alexander #11 and junior Shelby Jirsa #5 kept the Lady Bruins in the game in the first with an Alexander 3 pointer and forward Shelby Jirsa hit two buckets for 8 of the Lady Bruin 10 points in the quarter. But the Lady Bruins could not stop the Lady Bulldogs in the first as six Lady Bulldogs scored in the period, taking a 10-16 lead into the second period.

Junior forward Shelby Jirsa #5 hitting a 3 pointer late in the game had 10 points on the night.

But Coach Schofield drew up a 2-3 press and slowed the Lady Bulldog offense, putting them into set plays and holding them to just 5 points in the period. The Lady Bruin offense relied on guard play in the second, with senior guard Avana Pettus #10 and Sidney Alexander driving inside to break down the Sutherlin defense. Pettus had a bucket and went 2 of 3 from the line and Alexander sunk another 3 pointer as the Lady Bruins outscored the Lady Bulldogs 7-5 to trail into the half time break 17-21.

Senior guard Avana Pettus #10 driving to the basket for 2 of her 6 points in the game.

In the third both teams made defensive adjustments, but the Lady Bulldogs tightened the defense in the paint and ran on turnovers and rebounds. Shelby Jirsa, junior center Sierra Fitzhugh #00 and Avana Pettus all combined for 6 Lady Bruin points in the third as the Lady Bulldogs rang up 14.

Junior center Sierra Fitzhugh #00 lived in the paint all night, getting to line 5 times in the game… The Lady Bulldogs shot 6 of 10 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter alone.

In the fourth the Lady Bruins worked, pressing on defense and running to score quickly. Sierra Fitzhugh hit a basket and went 2 of 3 from the line as junior forward Lexi Schofield and Shelby Jirsa each hit 3’s. But again the Lady Bulldogs slowed the game and limited offensive possessions for the Lady Bruins while putting 14 more points to take the 33-49 win.

Junior forward Lexi Schofield #1 driving to the basket.

We sat down with Coach Schofield after the game and he told us “Tough one tonight. I was proud of the effort the girls gave. We just couldn’t buy a basket in the 3rd quarter. That let them stretch the lead and made it real tough on us. They are so tough defensively that a 10 point deficit, felt like 20. We started to press a little offensively and just couldn’t seem to get back on track.” he said.

Senior point guard Sidney Alexander #11 had two 3 pointers in the game.

The Lady Bruins close out the regular season next week with a match-up next Tuesday with the 1-8 St. Mary’s Crusaders at Bruin Arena for the Lady Bruins last regular-season home game at 5:30pm.