GIRLS BASKETBALL
By: Tim Falls
No win this season may be bigger than the first.
The Lawrence High School girls basketball team upset Notre Dame, 36-34, for the first time last Friday in their Colonial Valley Conference season opener. No matter how far the Cardinals go it will be hard to top their first win.
Keeping a positive attitude made the difference for Lawrence. The Cardinals remained upbeat despite trailing in the second quarter and facing an Irish rally late in the fourth quarter.
Lawrence was well aware the victory was a win with historic proportions. Coach Greg Zenerovitz kept reminding his players of what was at stake as their lead dwindled late in the game.
"At the time outs we told them they’re minutes from history," said Zenerovitz. "I don’t know if we’ve ever beaten Notre Dame. I don’t think we have. That’s why we told them before the game that they could make history."
A foul shot by Courtney Smith in the final minute helped protect Lawrence’s lead after Notre Dame bounced back from a 33-25 deficit to pull within a point, 35-34, with just over a minute left to play. Notre Dame could come no closer as Lawrence gained control of the ball and held on for the win.
"We kept our composure and worked for the win," said sophomore Zainabu Sillah. "We didn’t get down, we kept our heads up. They started to put really strong pressure on us at the end, but we kept our heads up."
Sophomore Ashley Russo led Lawrence with 17 points, scoring the first seven as Lawrence matched Notre Dame, 7-7, in the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Irish played like the program that had handed losses to Lawrence for all those years and took a 15-7 lead before the Cardinals went on an 8-0 run to finish the quarter behind by just two baskets, 20-16.
"They went up 15-7 and we didn’t let it get to us" said Zenerovitz. "It could have been, ‘there goes Notre Dame on their run,’ but we kept our heads up and got back into it before halftime.
Russo’s two three-pointers punctuated Lawrence’s lead and helped counter two Irish three-pointers by Gabby Esposito.
"We played hard," said Russo. "We knew whatever they threw at us, we’d play together and we could get the win."
Notre Dame’s lead evaporated in the third quarter as the Cardinals went ahead, 27-27 and then added more points in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore Laquisha Spencer scored six points, sophomore Lauren Raymond and Sillah had four, Smith scored three points and sophomore Lauri Regan scored two points for the Cardinals.
"We tried to make smart passes and keep talking to each other so there was no confusion," said Sillah. "As long as we communicated there was no confusion."
With so many sophomores taking staring roles, the victory over the Irish is a major accomplishment for the Cardinals and one that bodes well for their future.
"I think any time you can knock off Notre Dame in any sport, it’s an accomplishment for your ," said Zenerovitz. "That’s just because it is Notre Dame."
The Cardinals couldn’t extend their winning streak to a second game and fell to Hamilton, 58-45, on Tuesday.
Russo provided another 17-point effort, while Spencer scored nine points, Sillah had six and Jen Korngut and Regan both had four points.
Lawrence takes on Ewing tomorrow and then enters Hopewell’s John Molinelli Tournament, which begins Wednesday and concludes Thursday.

