Comets hit stride early

By Joe Warren

Nevada Daily Mail

NEVADA, Mo. -- The Cottey Comets finally found their stroke in a 71-57 win over St. Louis Community College-Florrisant Valley at the Hinkhouse Saturday.

All 10 players scored in the first half, as Cottey had a season high 47 points before the break, dominating the depleted Norsewomen.

Flo Valley, playing their second game in two days with only seven players on the roster, couldn't keep up with the running Comets, who pushed the ball up the court every chance they got.

"We had two runs in the first half and had just about everyone scoring," Cottey head coach Dave Ketterman said. "We were getting the ball out on the break."

Nevada native Lacy Leonard was perfect shooting in the first half, going six-for-six from the field and hitting both of her free-throw attempts as she had 14 points before the break.

Leonard finished with team-highs with 25 points and eight rebounds.

Flo Valley had one player who carried them offensively. Sophomore Katie Kirby scored 33 of their 57 points, including four 3-pointers.

"We tried to make it hard on her," Ketterman said of Kirby. "It didn't seem to make much difference."

Cottey (8-6) used an 8-0 run to break open a close game, taking a 31-21 lead with 5:25 to go in the first half.

The Comets followed that up with a 10-0 jaunt that made the score 41-22 with just more than two minutes to play.

Sophomore forward Ashleigh Houdyshell made her first collegiate 3-pointer to just beat the buzzer at halftime, making it 47-23 at the break.

The game was never in doubt from then on.

"We needed one like that," Ketterman said.

Cottey plays at Baptist Bible College in Springfield tonight.