Comets rally for come-from-behind victory over Lady Braves

Photos by Ralph Pokorny/Daily Mail-- Molly Frick, a 5'11" freshman from Walker, Minn., keeps a rebound from Ottawa's Maggie Hasenkamp.

The Cottey Comets came back from a nine-point deficit to beat the Ottawa University Lady Braves 77-49 Monday night bringing their season record to 4-1 after their 79-60 loss to Heston College Saturday.

The Comets were unable to find the basket Monday until a free throw by Brittany Smith started the Comets on the way to a win.

Smith, a freshman forward from Osage Beach, led the scoring for the Comets with 22 points and seven assists after putting up 21 points against Heston Saturday afternoon.

Sophomore guard Melissa Hedges and freshman forward Jessica Roberts both scored 16 points against Ottawa as well as seven steals by Hedges and three by Roberts. Both Hedges and Roberts tallied nine points Saturday against Heston behind Smith.

Freshman forward Molly Frick added eight points and sophomore Liz Wagoner six points. Freshmen Aleasha Lancaster, picked up four points and three assists, Meleah Painter, three points, four assists and five steals and Shanda Moon two points, four assists and two steals.

"Melissa played her best game of the season. Eight of nine players scored. That's good to see," Dave Ketterman, Comets head coach, said.

"They played with a lot of energy, but couldn't control the ball early," he said.

Ketterman said that they tried a different approach Monday night using full court pressure against Ottawa, but they could not put their game plan into action until the Comets scored.

That did not happen until five minutes into the game.

Ketterman said that they need to stop giving up those early baskets.

From that point on the Comets steadily narrowed the gap until 10 unanswered points in three minutes gave the Comets a 16-11 lead. Ottawa came back to briefly take a 20-19 lead with six minutes left in the half, but were unable to hold it.

Two points from Brittany Smith put Cottey back in front where the stay for the remainder of the game.

Cottey steadily increased their lead to as much as 29 points late in the second half.

"They didn't handle the pressure well," he said.

The Comets next game will be on the road in Joplin with Ozark Christian College on Nov. 27 and their next home game and final game before Christmas break will be Dec. 11 when they take on Penn Valley Community College.