MONROE - While the opposition was cat-napping, the Cheesemakers needed just six-and-a-half minutes to rattle its cage to the tune of a 17-2 game-opening run Friday night.
Even with the Panthers wide awake thereafter, the Cheesemakers (10-2, 7-1 Badger South) spent the rest of the contest successfully fending them off to secure a 55-39 Badger South victory and a season sweep of Oregon (4-8, 2-4 Badger South).
Junior Emily Rufenacht, who popped the clutch 3-pointer that put the Panthers to bed Dec. 20 on their home floor with seven seconds left, made sure dramatics weren't necessary.
After sophomore Ashley Hermanson was workmanlike in building the lead to 10-2 with seven straight points and freshman Kyleigh Sellnow splashed a pair of free throws, Rufenacht showcased the sharpest tools in her holster.
She first swished a 3-pointer from the far left corner after the Cheesemakers patiently swung the ball and refused to settle for a less-than-ideal look.
"That's something we've done a fine job of early in games is getting a lot of patient possessions and not forcing things," Monroe coach Kevin Keen said.
Moments later, Rufenacht pilfered the ball near mid-court and split two Panther players before finishing off glass to cap the 17-2 surge.
Hermanson dialed in with classmate Jamie Armstrong to put together her personal scoring run. A deadly pullup from the elbow by Hermanson was bookended by carbon copy, textbook plays during which Armstrong made a crisp entry pass and Hermanson dove to the goal to score.
On the first, she took her defender with her and collected the free throw afterward for her effort. Hermanson was a human inferno temporarily as she scored all nine of her first-half points in less than three minutes in the first quarter.
She and Rufenacht tied for Monroe's team lead in scoring with 14 points apiece.
When the young Panthers did threaten, stoic Cheesemaker leadership shut the door with authority. After Oregon struck for a quick 7-0 run that closed the gap to 39-27 more than midway through the third, senior Kayla Rackow found some isolation and took Kayla Crowley off the dribble to the right elbow where she up-faked and hit a shot with contact.
Just a minute later, Rufenacht drilled her fourth and final rain-maker from beyond the arc, just right of the circle to reclaim the momentum of the matchup at 44-28, the score Monroe took into the final quarter.
The Panthers cut the deficit to a dozen at 47-35 to play as they worked the ball inside tirelessly, but Sellnow fired back with a devastating back-door cut as sophomore point guard Gwen Sutter threaded a bouncer to the block where the frosh finished.
Panthers standout junior Laura Atkinson did not start the ballgame but freshman post Briana Ethal picked up the slack scoring 10 points.
The Cheesemakers take a breather from conference play to entertain local rival Brodhead on Monday.
Even with the Panthers wide awake thereafter, the Cheesemakers (10-2, 7-1 Badger South) spent the rest of the contest successfully fending them off to secure a 55-39 Badger South victory and a season sweep of Oregon (4-8, 2-4 Badger South).
Junior Emily Rufenacht, who popped the clutch 3-pointer that put the Panthers to bed Dec. 20 on their home floor with seven seconds left, made sure dramatics weren't necessary.
After sophomore Ashley Hermanson was workmanlike in building the lead to 10-2 with seven straight points and freshman Kyleigh Sellnow splashed a pair of free throws, Rufenacht showcased the sharpest tools in her holster.
She first swished a 3-pointer from the far left corner after the Cheesemakers patiently swung the ball and refused to settle for a less-than-ideal look.
"That's something we've done a fine job of early in games is getting a lot of patient possessions and not forcing things," Monroe coach Kevin Keen said.
Moments later, Rufenacht pilfered the ball near mid-court and split two Panther players before finishing off glass to cap the 17-2 surge.
Hermanson dialed in with classmate Jamie Armstrong to put together her personal scoring run. A deadly pullup from the elbow by Hermanson was bookended by carbon copy, textbook plays during which Armstrong made a crisp entry pass and Hermanson dove to the goal to score.
On the first, she took her defender with her and collected the free throw afterward for her effort. Hermanson was a human inferno temporarily as she scored all nine of her first-half points in less than three minutes in the first quarter.
She and Rufenacht tied for Monroe's team lead in scoring with 14 points apiece.
When the young Panthers did threaten, stoic Cheesemaker leadership shut the door with authority. After Oregon struck for a quick 7-0 run that closed the gap to 39-27 more than midway through the third, senior Kayla Rackow found some isolation and took Kayla Crowley off the dribble to the right elbow where she up-faked and hit a shot with contact.
Just a minute later, Rufenacht drilled her fourth and final rain-maker from beyond the arc, just right of the circle to reclaim the momentum of the matchup at 44-28, the score Monroe took into the final quarter.
The Panthers cut the deficit to a dozen at 47-35 to play as they worked the ball inside tirelessly, but Sellnow fired back with a devastating back-door cut as sophomore point guard Gwen Sutter threaded a bouncer to the block where the frosh finished.
Panthers standout junior Laura Atkinson did not start the ballgame but freshman post Briana Ethal picked up the slack scoring 10 points.
The Cheesemakers take a breather from conference play to entertain local rival Brodhead on Monday.
