C-L Girls Hold Off Union Rally for Win

STRATTANVILLE, Pa. – After building a 17-point lead at halftime and seeing it dwindle to four by the end of the third quarter, the Clarion-Limestone Lady Lions were able to hang on for a 51-47 victory over Union on Monday evening at the Lions’ Den.

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Frances Milliron drained a pair of free throws with seven seconds remaining to seal the victory after C-L led by just two at 49-47 with 40 seconds remaining. Each team committed a turnover during the other 32 seconds, and the Lady Lions attempting to control the ball before Milliron was fouled.

“I think free throws have cost us two or three other wins this season,” said C-L head coach Gus Simpson. “Tonight, though, we were able to make them when they counted, especially those last two by Frances.”

With C-L (7-8 overall) leading 36-32 after three quarters, Dominika Logue made an old-fashioned three to cut the lead to one at 36-35 early in the fourth. A Lexi Coull short jumper and a Milliron free throw pushed the lead back to four at 39-35. Union would cut the lead to two at 41-39 with 4:55 to play. A 6-2 run pushed the lead to six at 47-41 with 2:02 left. Union answered with a 6-1 run to cut the lead to one at 48-47 with 1:04 to play. Dominika Logue scored all six points for the Damsels. A free throw by Coull with 40 remaining pushed the lead to two before the two freebies by Milliron sealed the win.

Seniors Janelle Pezzuti, Maddy Wenner, Sydney Simpson, and Anna Kennemuth

“It was definitely a gutsy win for us tonight,” said Simpson. “Everybody was contributing. We had some people off the bench step up. It was a good win and certainly one that we needed.”

C-L led by just one 12-11 after one quarter. The Lady Lions used a 22-6 scoring blitz in the second quarter to take the 17-point 34-17 lead into the locker room.

Union then rallied in the third quarter with a 16-2 scoring advantage to trim the lead back to four at 36-32 entering the fourth quarter.

“You have to give Union credit for coming back,” said Simpson. “Our girls settled down and got their composure back, which is something we haven’t seen much of in the past. In past seasons we probably would have totally caved entering the fourth quarter after having a [poor] third quarter. These girls kept fighting and hung tough, and we were able to pull this one out.”

Milliron scored 23 points to lead C-L, while Kendall Dunn added 11 and Maddie Wenner added 10. Logue paced Union with 14 points.