MONROE - Breaking Waunakee's press turned into major a challenge for the Monroe girls basketball team Friday night, when the Warriors rolled to a 50-20 victory.
Monroe (5-13, 3-6 Badger South) was able to slice a 10-point Warriors lead to six points after senior Abbey Foulker hit a jumper and made two free throws late in the second quarter.
Waunakee senior Kelly Preston scored down low and was fouled at the end of the second quarter. She made the free throw to convert the three-point play to give the Warriors a 23-14 halftime lead.
The three-point play by Preston ignited a 21-0 run for the Warriors from the end of the second quarter into the third period.
"We had a shot to cut it to four points," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "When they got that three-point play going in down by nine instead of four was huge. I had a bad feeling about that. In the second half, they got the floodgates to open. We didn't execute our press break like we needed to. Once it (the press) got going we were in trouble."
The Cheesemakers were plagued by 27 turnovers and shot just 14.6 percent (6 of 41) - including 1-for-21 in the second half, when they scored six points.
Monroe played without senior Brooke McBain, who is recovering from an illness. Sophomore Taylor Barrett scored six points and had six rebounds to lead the Cheesemakers. Foulker added five points.
Barrett understands the scoring burden has to be shared by everyone on the team.
"We definitely missed Brooke," Barrett said. "That is an understatement. We have to have people who can step up and score and that includes myself. You are not always going to have your full team all the time."
Preston, who scored a game-high 18 points for the Warriors, scored down low to start the surge in the third quarter. The Cheesemakers had three straight turnovers to start the third quarter. Waunakee junior Samantha Murray had two steals and layups during the spurt.
Mathiason said the difference in the second half was that when the Cheesemakers committed a turnover, the Warriors were able to get layups.
Barrett helped Monroe get off to a fast start early in the first quarter when she knocked down two jumpers.
"They have a great press," Barrett said of Waunakee. "We made some questionable passes. We had a lot of unforced turnovers. We have to work as a team to keep our heads up and that includes myself."
Despite shooting 5-for-20 in the first half and trailing by nine points at halftime, Barrett didn't worry.
"I still had confidence that my team would pull through and that we would make a run," she said. "It just didn't happen tonight."
Senior Gracie Schilt's jumper was the Cheesemakers' only basket in the second half.
"Shooting is a lot about confidence," Mathiason said. "When you hit a couple you get confidence. I thought we had a lot of really good shots in the second half. We just weren't able to convert them. We have to keep trying to find those consistent second and third scorers to go with Brooke."
Monroe (5-13, 3-6 Badger South) was able to slice a 10-point Warriors lead to six points after senior Abbey Foulker hit a jumper and made two free throws late in the second quarter.
Waunakee senior Kelly Preston scored down low and was fouled at the end of the second quarter. She made the free throw to convert the three-point play to give the Warriors a 23-14 halftime lead.
The three-point play by Preston ignited a 21-0 run for the Warriors from the end of the second quarter into the third period.
"We had a shot to cut it to four points," Monroe coach Sam Mathiason said. "When they got that three-point play going in down by nine instead of four was huge. I had a bad feeling about that. In the second half, they got the floodgates to open. We didn't execute our press break like we needed to. Once it (the press) got going we were in trouble."
The Cheesemakers were plagued by 27 turnovers and shot just 14.6 percent (6 of 41) - including 1-for-21 in the second half, when they scored six points.
Monroe played without senior Brooke McBain, who is recovering from an illness. Sophomore Taylor Barrett scored six points and had six rebounds to lead the Cheesemakers. Foulker added five points.
Barrett understands the scoring burden has to be shared by everyone on the team.
"We definitely missed Brooke," Barrett said. "That is an understatement. We have to have people who can step up and score and that includes myself. You are not always going to have your full team all the time."
Preston, who scored a game-high 18 points for the Warriors, scored down low to start the surge in the third quarter. The Cheesemakers had three straight turnovers to start the third quarter. Waunakee junior Samantha Murray had two steals and layups during the spurt.
Mathiason said the difference in the second half was that when the Cheesemakers committed a turnover, the Warriors were able to get layups.
Barrett helped Monroe get off to a fast start early in the first quarter when she knocked down two jumpers.
"They have a great press," Barrett said of Waunakee. "We made some questionable passes. We had a lot of unforced turnovers. We have to work as a team to keep our heads up and that includes myself."
Despite shooting 5-for-20 in the first half and trailing by nine points at halftime, Barrett didn't worry.
"I still had confidence that my team would pull through and that we would make a run," she said. "It just didn't happen tonight."
Senior Gracie Schilt's jumper was the Cheesemakers' only basket in the second half.
"Shooting is a lot about confidence," Mathiason said. "When you hit a couple you get confidence. I thought we had a lot of really good shots in the second half. We just weren't able to convert them. We have to keep trying to find those consistent second and third scorers to go with Brooke."
