Cottey Comets fall to Hesston College in return from long layoff

Cottey sophomore Adriana Futrell gets hammered in the lane during the Comets 56-53 loss to Hesston Saturday at the Hinkhouse Center.

Nevada Daily Mail

In their first game back from the winter break, the Cottey Comets were edged by Hesston College Saturday, 56-53.

The Comets, who hadn't played a game since Dec. 11, looked rusty but still had a chance to beat the visiting Larks.

The game featured five ties and seven lead changes, but in the end it was the Larks making just enough plays to escape with the win.

"We had our opportunities to win this one," Cottey coach Dave Ketterman said. "We just couldn't close the deal at the end."

The game was tied after a rather uneventful first half, with both teams scoring 25 points before the break.

In the second half jumped out to a 29-25 lead with two quick buckets, but Cottey would tie it at 29 on a three-pointer by Sandra Powers.

Both teams scored to make it 31-31 in the second half, when Katie Taylor got into the act from outside to give Cottey a slight lead.

The Comets extended their lead to five on free throws by Adriana Futrell.

Cottey would lead 46-41 with about seven minutes left in the game, but Hesston went on a 9-2 run to take the lead.

After Cottey battled back to take a 52-50 lead, Hesston closed with a 6-1 run to seal the game.

A desperation three-point attempt by Futrell at the buzzer was off.

Futrell scored 10 in the game for the Comets, one of three Cottey players in double figures.

Taylor led the team with 13 points and Powers added 11.

The Comets did have 19 steals in the game, but were unable to get the defensive pressure to translate into a win.

They also handled the ball fairly well, only committing 13 turnovers.

"I thought overall we played pretty well," Ketterman said.

Ketterman said the difference in the game was Cottey's inability to score at crucial moments.

"We just didn't score late in the game when we needed to," he said.

Cottey shot only 35 percent from the field, something that Ketterman said is a difference-maker.

"We've just got to shoot the ball better if we're going to win," he said. "I thought we did just about everything we needed to do to win the game. At some point you need easy baskets or you need someone to knockdown a big shot."

Cottey fell to 4-1 this season with the loss, they play Penn Valley Community College tonight in Kansas City.

The next home game for Cottey will be Jan. 25.