Lady Bruins Outlast Douglas in Physical Battle to Start League Play

January 27, 2022

Coach Chris Schofield and his 2022 Lady Bruin varsity basketball team, who just won their first game they played since December 20th, last Monday, officially started league play Wednesday night at Bruins Arena as they hosted the Douglas Lady Trojans who came into Wednesday’s game having played two league games with a 2-0 record.

Rockette Marrington, #12, driving to the basket for 2 of her 6 points in the game.

A frenetic pace was established at the tip, and both teams pressured the other early, holding early scoring low as both teams worked to find a rhythm and get their offense on track. Play in the paint under the basket was brutal from the opening whistle, as the Lady Bruins developed a 6-3 lead at the mid-way point of the first period of play. Junior guard Zoe Carlson #11 led the way in the first period with 5 points from a basket and a 3 pointer.

Ashlyn Schofield, #44, reaching for the basket in the lane, for 2 of her 14 points.

With a 10-6 lead after the first period, the Lady Trojans attacked the paint, driving the lane forcing forward and center play by #44 Ashlyn Schofield and Marissa Scott #15 to shut down the lane with physical defense, sending the Lady Trojans to the line seven times. However, the frantic pace allowed coach Schofield to spread out the scoring, getting six Lady Bruins involved in the offense and in the scorebook for 16 points in the period including 3 pointers from senior Faith Burton #4 and senior guard Charlie Nolte #10 as the Lady Bruins took a 26-20 lead to the locker room.

Charlie Nolte, #10, starting the fast Bruin fast break, for 2 of her 8 points, including two 3 pointers.

Tristan Brouillard, #1, was key to the Lady Bruins tough defense.

The third period started out a defensive battle, with both teams physically establishing their defense, shutting down inside play and forcing scoring from the outside and only allowing 1 point by Douglas in the inital four minutes of the third period. The Lady Bruins were led in the third period by junior forward, Ashlyn Schofield, #44, with 4 points. However, the story of the third period was at the freethrow line, as 3 of the Lady Trojans 5 points came at the freethrow line, while the Lady Bruins went 0-4 from the freethrow line, as the Lady Bruins held their lead after three periods 34-25.

Zoey Carlson, #11, hitting the short jumper had 13 points Wednesday night, including 6 of 9 from the line.

Going into the fourth period with a 9 point lead, the paint became a battle ground of rebounding and fouls. The Lady Trojans cut the lead to 9 with just under 3:00 minutes left to play, as the intensity and pressure increased as time ran down, and again the story was at the free throw line. The Lady Trojans refused to allow easy points in the paint, sending the Lady Bruins to the line 21 times in the fourth period alone, where the Lady Bruins went 8 for 21, leaving 13 points at the line, as Douglas closed the gap to 7 points. Ashlyn Scofield, #44, went 4 for 8 in the final period, leading the Lady Bruins with 6 points to secure the 51-44 win.

Skylar Gallagher, #3, driving from the top of the key.

Talking with head coach Chris Schofield after the game, he told the Compass “I was really proud of our girls tonight. We are not very physical by nature, so it was good to see our kids stand up and take on a physical challenge that Douglas brought to the game tonight. There were a few times especially in the second half when the momentum turned against us,’ he continued, “we could have folded, but we were able to get enough defensive stops and make some big plays offensively to get the momentum back.”