FREEPORT - Breaking Freeport's pressure defense proved to be a challenge as the Monroe girls basketball team lost a Snack Bowl game to the Pretzels 46-39 Saturday, Jan. 11.
Freeport (6-7) went on an 8-2 run to start the fourth quarter led by a press defense that forced four turnovers early in the period. Freeport's Chasitee Shroyer drilled a 3-pointer with 5 minutes, 8 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give the Pretzels a 39-33 lead. Monroe sophomore Brooke Adams answered with a jumper to cut the Pretzels' lead to 39-35.
Monroe senior Kirsten Vetterli scored a team-high 14 points and Adams added six points.
"We got those turnovers and we got down on ourselves," Vetterli said. "We just have to slow it down and make smart passes. We have to keep our heads up until the end and finish hard."
Freeport junior Sierra Best scored on a putback and junior Morgan Geiser hit two free throws to gave the Pretzels a 41-35 lead they wouldn't relinquish. With the loss, Monroe drops to 3-6, 1-1 Badger South.
Early in the first half, the game appeared like it would come down to the fourth quarter. The Pretzels jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the period behind Ashley Simmons, who had a key steal and layup, and scored all six of her points in the first half.
The Cheesemakers rallied as senior Kayla Updike hit two jumpers to tie the game at 6. Freeport's Mariah Katzenberger, who scored a game-high 15 points, knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:56 to go in the first quarter to give the Pretzels a 12-6 lead at the end of the period. Shroyer and Katzenberger both knocked down jumpers about midway through the second quarter to give the Pretzels a 16-9 lead. Shroyer added 13 points.
The Cheesemakers clawed their way back by being aggressive and taking the ball to the basket and drawing fouls. The Cheesemakers made 12 of 18 free throws in the first half and were able to cut the Pretzels' lead to 20-18 at the half.
"I thought in the first half we did a good job of being aggressive and taking the ball to the basket," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "In the second half, we were not as clean as we needed to be. We kind of got on our heels a little bit."
Vetterli scored down low early in the third quarter to give the Cheesemakers a 23-22 lead. Adams banked in a jumper to extend the lead to 25-22. Monroe junior Alacia Keegan had six rebounds and she picked up two fouls late in the third quarter and was forced to the bench with four fouls. Monroe senior Whitney Disch also battled foul trouble. Katzenberger scored on a layup at the end of the third quarter to tie the game at 31.
"I felt really good down on the block," Vetterli said. "When you go down on the block you always try to focus and score. You never know what you are going to get from the outside. I thought we were consistent running our offense."
Mathiason sees Vetterli making strides as a post player down low.
"She (Vetterli) is getting a good feel of where she has to be and when to be there," he said. "She was able to get some offensive rebounds and convert."
The Pretzels made their big surge to start the fourth quarter and outscored the Cheesemakers 15-8 in the period.
"It's always experience," Mathiason said. "This group hasn't been in a lot of situations like this. Hopefully, the next one they are in they will be much better in that situation."
Freeport (6-7) went on an 8-2 run to start the fourth quarter led by a press defense that forced four turnovers early in the period. Freeport's Chasitee Shroyer drilled a 3-pointer with 5 minutes, 8 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give the Pretzels a 39-33 lead. Monroe sophomore Brooke Adams answered with a jumper to cut the Pretzels' lead to 39-35.
Monroe senior Kirsten Vetterli scored a team-high 14 points and Adams added six points.
"We got those turnovers and we got down on ourselves," Vetterli said. "We just have to slow it down and make smart passes. We have to keep our heads up until the end and finish hard."
Freeport junior Sierra Best scored on a putback and junior Morgan Geiser hit two free throws to gave the Pretzels a 41-35 lead they wouldn't relinquish. With the loss, Monroe drops to 3-6, 1-1 Badger South.
Early in the first half, the game appeared like it would come down to the fourth quarter. The Pretzels jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the period behind Ashley Simmons, who had a key steal and layup, and scored all six of her points in the first half.
The Cheesemakers rallied as senior Kayla Updike hit two jumpers to tie the game at 6. Freeport's Mariah Katzenberger, who scored a game-high 15 points, knocked down a 3-pointer with 1:56 to go in the first quarter to give the Pretzels a 12-6 lead at the end of the period. Shroyer and Katzenberger both knocked down jumpers about midway through the second quarter to give the Pretzels a 16-9 lead. Shroyer added 13 points.
The Cheesemakers clawed their way back by being aggressive and taking the ball to the basket and drawing fouls. The Cheesemakers made 12 of 18 free throws in the first half and were able to cut the Pretzels' lead to 20-18 at the half.
"I thought in the first half we did a good job of being aggressive and taking the ball to the basket," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "In the second half, we were not as clean as we needed to be. We kind of got on our heels a little bit."
Vetterli scored down low early in the third quarter to give the Cheesemakers a 23-22 lead. Adams banked in a jumper to extend the lead to 25-22. Monroe junior Alacia Keegan had six rebounds and she picked up two fouls late in the third quarter and was forced to the bench with four fouls. Monroe senior Whitney Disch also battled foul trouble. Katzenberger scored on a layup at the end of the third quarter to tie the game at 31.
"I felt really good down on the block," Vetterli said. "When you go down on the block you always try to focus and score. You never know what you are going to get from the outside. I thought we were consistent running our offense."
Mathiason sees Vetterli making strides as a post player down low.
"She (Vetterli) is getting a good feel of where she has to be and when to be there," he said. "She was able to get some offensive rebounds and convert."
The Pretzels made their big surge to start the fourth quarter and outscored the Cheesemakers 15-8 in the period.
"It's always experience," Mathiason said. "This group hasn't been in a lot of situations like this. Hopefully, the next one they are in they will be much better in that situation."
