WAUNAKEE - When a hornet invaded a Monroe girls basketball practice this week and players swatted it, they didn't know if it would have any significance.
"I guess it was a sign of things to come. It was really kind of ironic," Monroe senior Chelsea Brice said after the Cheesemakers survived to beat Richland Center 54-42 in a WIAA Division 2 sectional semifinal Thursday night at Waunakee.
Monroe (24-1), ranked No. 1 in the Division 2 Associated Press state poll, made 11 of 14 free throws in the last 3 minutes, 40 seconds to seal the win and snap Richland Center's 10-game winning streak. The Cheesemakers entered the fourth quarter with a 36-31 lead. Richland Center's Kelsey Collins, who had a game-high 17 points, scored on a layup to slice the Cheesemakers' lead to 39-37 with 5:27 left.
With about 5 minutes to go Richland Center junior Mara Anderson fouled out. Monroe senior Jamie Armstrong attacked the basket again with 2:33 left with the Cheesemakers clinging to a 41-37 lead and Richland Center junior Alyssa Krajco fouled out.
"That was a big turning point," Monroe coach Kevin Keen said. "They are a very good ballclub and gave us everything we wanted. We made our free throws in the end when we needed to."
With the win, Monroe advances to a Division 2 sectional championship where the Cheesemakers will play Union Grove at 1 p.m. Saturday at Janesville Craig High School. The Cheesemakers could earn a third-straight trip to state.
Monroe lived from the free throw line down the stretch.
"In practice we really stress our free throws," Brice said. "To execute them in the game it's just a good feeling for us. It shows how hard work has paid off."
The pesky Hornets played a 2-3 zone throughout the game to slow down Monroe's inside game that features 6-foot, 2-inch Armstrong and 6-foot Nebraska-Kearney recruit Ashley Hermanson.
The Cheesemakers drilled six first-half 3-pointers. Monroe senior Chelsea Brice, who scored 11 points, made three 3-pointers in the first half.
"We have a lot of weapons on our team," Sutter said, who scored a team-high 14 points. "Even though we didn't shoot that well tonight, I guess it was good enough to get by."
Sutter drained a 3-pointer that gave the Cheesemakers a 16-11 lead with 4:57 to go in the second quarter. Just when it looked like the Cheesemakers would pull away, Richland Center sophomore Heidi Bindl scored down low with 3:18 left in the period to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 16-15. Monroe closed the second quarter with a 13-4 spurt highlighted by Hermanson's putback down low and Brice's 3-pointer to give the Cheesemakers a 26-19 halftime lead.
"We know if we are shooting them (3-pointers) then that will open up the inside game and that's what happened in the second half."
Armstrong had eight points and five blocked shots. Hermanson and junior Kyleigh Sellnow added seven points each.
The one area that Keen wants the Cheesemakers to improve on for the sectional final is rebounding. Richland Center had several offensive rebounds and second-chance scoring opportunities that can haunt teams in the postseason.
"They had way too many," Keen said. "It was a physical game and at times they were holding our post players."
"I guess it was a sign of things to come. It was really kind of ironic," Monroe senior Chelsea Brice said after the Cheesemakers survived to beat Richland Center 54-42 in a WIAA Division 2 sectional semifinal Thursday night at Waunakee.
Monroe (24-1), ranked No. 1 in the Division 2 Associated Press state poll, made 11 of 14 free throws in the last 3 minutes, 40 seconds to seal the win and snap Richland Center's 10-game winning streak. The Cheesemakers entered the fourth quarter with a 36-31 lead. Richland Center's Kelsey Collins, who had a game-high 17 points, scored on a layup to slice the Cheesemakers' lead to 39-37 with 5:27 left.
With about 5 minutes to go Richland Center junior Mara Anderson fouled out. Monroe senior Jamie Armstrong attacked the basket again with 2:33 left with the Cheesemakers clinging to a 41-37 lead and Richland Center junior Alyssa Krajco fouled out.
"That was a big turning point," Monroe coach Kevin Keen said. "They are a very good ballclub and gave us everything we wanted. We made our free throws in the end when we needed to."
With the win, Monroe advances to a Division 2 sectional championship where the Cheesemakers will play Union Grove at 1 p.m. Saturday at Janesville Craig High School. The Cheesemakers could earn a third-straight trip to state.
Monroe lived from the free throw line down the stretch.
"In practice we really stress our free throws," Brice said. "To execute them in the game it's just a good feeling for us. It shows how hard work has paid off."
The pesky Hornets played a 2-3 zone throughout the game to slow down Monroe's inside game that features 6-foot, 2-inch Armstrong and 6-foot Nebraska-Kearney recruit Ashley Hermanson.
The Cheesemakers drilled six first-half 3-pointers. Monroe senior Chelsea Brice, who scored 11 points, made three 3-pointers in the first half.
"We have a lot of weapons on our team," Sutter said, who scored a team-high 14 points. "Even though we didn't shoot that well tonight, I guess it was good enough to get by."
Sutter drained a 3-pointer that gave the Cheesemakers a 16-11 lead with 4:57 to go in the second quarter. Just when it looked like the Cheesemakers would pull away, Richland Center sophomore Heidi Bindl scored down low with 3:18 left in the period to cut the Cheesemakers' lead to 16-15. Monroe closed the second quarter with a 13-4 spurt highlighted by Hermanson's putback down low and Brice's 3-pointer to give the Cheesemakers a 26-19 halftime lead.
"We know if we are shooting them (3-pointers) then that will open up the inside game and that's what happened in the second half."
Armstrong had eight points and five blocked shots. Hermanson and junior Kyleigh Sellnow added seven points each.
The one area that Keen wants the Cheesemakers to improve on for the sectional final is rebounding. Richland Center had several offensive rebounds and second-chance scoring opportunities that can haunt teams in the postseason.
"They had way too many," Keen said. "It was a physical game and at times they were holding our post players."
