MONROE - Junior point guard Sydney Hilliard expects every team's best game when they come in to play the No. 4-ranked Monroe girls basketball team that remains unbeaten in the Badger South Conference.
The latest test came from Oregon. Hilliard scored a game-high 23 points to lead a balanced attack to lead the Cheesemakers to a comeback 70-56 win over Oregon Friday night. Monroe (14-2, 8-0 Badger South) trailed by as many as eight points in the first half and Oregon led by one point early in the second half.
"You could definitely tell they really wanted this one," Hilliard said of Oregon. "I expect that from every team in the conference. They will come at us with their best shot and we have to be ready. Starting the second half of conference play, it was really exciting to see we were able to get this conference win."
The Cheesemakers responded with a 10-1 run after trailing by one early in the second half. Monroe senior Sydney Mathiason drilled two 3-pointers during the surge to help the Cheesemakers take a 45-38 lead with 11 minutes, 55 seconds left in the second half. Hilliard sliced to the basket and scored on a layup. She then converted a three-point play to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 56-44 with 7:04 to go. Senior teammate Rachel Meier knocked down a 3-pointer to push the Cheesemakers' lead to 15 points, 59-44 with 6:33 left. Monroe led by as many as 17 points on two occasions after Mathiason's 3-pointer and a three-point play by Hilliard.
Mathiason added 12 points and had eight rebounds. Sophomore teammate Grace Tostrud scored 11 points and hit three 3s, freshman Megan Benzschawel chipped in 10 points, and Megan's older sister, junior Emily Benzschawel, added 9.
Oregon coach Adam Wamsley, who coached the Albany girls basketball team last year, played a 1-3-1 zone that tried to limit the penetration by Hilliard and the Cheesemakers. Oregon (9-6, 3-5 Badger South) opened the game with a 17-9 run punctuated by senior Ellen McCorkle's 3-pointer. McCorkle scored seven of her team-high 20 points during the run. The Panthers knocked down five 3-pointers as a team in the first half.
After trailing by eight points about midway through the first half, the Cheesemakers went on a 21-5 run. Hilliard scored on a layup and was fouled. She made the free throw to convert the conventional three-point play to give the Cheesemakers a 22-21 lead. Tostrud buried two 3-pointers during the surge. Megan Benzschawel gave the Cheesemakers a spark off the bench converting a rare four-point play - she knocked down a 3-pointer and was fouled. After she made the free throw, the Cheesemakers had their largest lead of the first half, 30-22.
"It felt really good," Megan Benzschawel said of her four-point play. "I'm surprised they called a foul on that shot."
The Cheesemakers' eight-point lead didn't last long. The Panthers closed the first half strong and sophomore Liz Uhl hit a 3-pointer with 1:08 to go to tie the game at 32 at the break.
"They stay in that 1-3-1 (zone) and you have to be patient against it," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "I was proud of the girls for moving the ball better in the second half and finding a way."
Mathiason was excited to see Megan Benzschawel's breakout scoring performance. He understands the opportunities came with better ball movement against the Panthers' zone.
"You just try to take advantage of the opportunity," Mathiason said. "I thought we moved the ball a lot better the last two-thirds of the first half and the second half. Against the zone, we have to keep moving the ball. Megan has the ability to make those shots. Megan and Grace (Tostrud) were the beneficiary of some extra passes."
After giving up 32 points in the first half, the Cheesemakers' defense clamped down in the second half, allowing just 24. Oregon's Uhl added 11 points and junior Sydona Roberts chipped in 9. Uhl and Roberts combined for 13 in the first half and finished with four 3-pointers combined.
"We really played good defense," Megan Benzschawel said. "We practiced our defense all week."
With three sophomores usually in its starting lineup, Oregon could be an up and coming team in the conference.
"They (Oregon) are a solid team," Mathiason said. "In the second half, I thought we did a better job of getting our hand up and challenging their shots, making it uncomfortable for them and boxing out so they didn't get any second-chance points."
After a tough loss to No. 1-ranked Beaver Dam last week, Megan Benzschawel said she knows Monroe will get every team's best shot.
"We just have to go out and play our game and we will be fine," she said.
The latest test came from Oregon. Hilliard scored a game-high 23 points to lead a balanced attack to lead the Cheesemakers to a comeback 70-56 win over Oregon Friday night. Monroe (14-2, 8-0 Badger South) trailed by as many as eight points in the first half and Oregon led by one point early in the second half.
"You could definitely tell they really wanted this one," Hilliard said of Oregon. "I expect that from every team in the conference. They will come at us with their best shot and we have to be ready. Starting the second half of conference play, it was really exciting to see we were able to get this conference win."
The Cheesemakers responded with a 10-1 run after trailing by one early in the second half. Monroe senior Sydney Mathiason drilled two 3-pointers during the surge to help the Cheesemakers take a 45-38 lead with 11 minutes, 55 seconds left in the second half. Hilliard sliced to the basket and scored on a layup. She then converted a three-point play to extend the Cheesemakers' lead to 56-44 with 7:04 to go. Senior teammate Rachel Meier knocked down a 3-pointer to push the Cheesemakers' lead to 15 points, 59-44 with 6:33 left. Monroe led by as many as 17 points on two occasions after Mathiason's 3-pointer and a three-point play by Hilliard.
Mathiason added 12 points and had eight rebounds. Sophomore teammate Grace Tostrud scored 11 points and hit three 3s, freshman Megan Benzschawel chipped in 10 points, and Megan's older sister, junior Emily Benzschawel, added 9.
Oregon coach Adam Wamsley, who coached the Albany girls basketball team last year, played a 1-3-1 zone that tried to limit the penetration by Hilliard and the Cheesemakers. Oregon (9-6, 3-5 Badger South) opened the game with a 17-9 run punctuated by senior Ellen McCorkle's 3-pointer. McCorkle scored seven of her team-high 20 points during the run. The Panthers knocked down five 3-pointers as a team in the first half.
After trailing by eight points about midway through the first half, the Cheesemakers went on a 21-5 run. Hilliard scored on a layup and was fouled. She made the free throw to convert the conventional three-point play to give the Cheesemakers a 22-21 lead. Tostrud buried two 3-pointers during the surge. Megan Benzschawel gave the Cheesemakers a spark off the bench converting a rare four-point play - she knocked down a 3-pointer and was fouled. After she made the free throw, the Cheesemakers had their largest lead of the first half, 30-22.
"It felt really good," Megan Benzschawel said of her four-point play. "I'm surprised they called a foul on that shot."
The Cheesemakers' eight-point lead didn't last long. The Panthers closed the first half strong and sophomore Liz Uhl hit a 3-pointer with 1:08 to go to tie the game at 32 at the break.
"They stay in that 1-3-1 (zone) and you have to be patient against it," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "I was proud of the girls for moving the ball better in the second half and finding a way."
Mathiason was excited to see Megan Benzschawel's breakout scoring performance. He understands the opportunities came with better ball movement against the Panthers' zone.
"You just try to take advantage of the opportunity," Mathiason said. "I thought we moved the ball a lot better the last two-thirds of the first half and the second half. Against the zone, we have to keep moving the ball. Megan has the ability to make those shots. Megan and Grace (Tostrud) were the beneficiary of some extra passes."
After giving up 32 points in the first half, the Cheesemakers' defense clamped down in the second half, allowing just 24. Oregon's Uhl added 11 points and junior Sydona Roberts chipped in 9. Uhl and Roberts combined for 13 in the first half and finished with four 3-pointers combined.
"We really played good defense," Megan Benzschawel said. "We practiced our defense all week."
With three sophomores usually in its starting lineup, Oregon could be an up and coming team in the conference.
"They (Oregon) are a solid team," Mathiason said. "In the second half, I thought we did a better job of getting our hand up and challenging their shots, making it uncomfortable for them and boxing out so they didn't get any second-chance points."
After a tough loss to No. 1-ranked Beaver Dam last week, Megan Benzschawel said she knows Monroe will get every team's best shot.
"We just have to go out and play our game and we will be fine," she said.
