Cottey Comets lose to Penn Valley in double overtime

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Cottey College Comets gave Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley all they could handle Tuesday night, but ultimately fell to the Lady Scouts in double overtime by the final score of 77-72.

The Comets were looking for a little revenge against the Lady Scouts, who took a close game away from the Comets at Hinkhouse in December. In the first half, it looked like Cottey was going to get the win on Penn Valley's home court as the Comets jumped out to a 37-31 lead at the break. Amanda Sanders and Natascha Lord led the Comets in the first half with 10 and nine points, respectively. Alex Noble chipped in seven points of her own.

In the second half, however, Sanders and Noble were each held to two points as the Penn Valley defense took away the Comets' inside game. Guard Bailey Beale began to heat up from the outside though and hit three of her six treys in that half to keep Cottey in the game. Lord had six more points as 15 of the Comets' 23 second half points came from the guard positions.

At the end of regulation, the game was tied at 60 points and the teams went into the first 5-minute overtime period. Although the Lady Scouts seemed to have the momentum, Beale and Lord combined for all nine of the Comets' points to keep the game tied, 69-69, at the end of the first overtime.

In the second OT, the Comets just couldn't get the offense going again. Beale hit a trey for the Comets' only points of that final session.

Lord led the Comets with 21 points and Beale had 20. Sanders ended up with 12 points on the night before fouling out.

The loss dropped the Comets to 11-10 on the season and 4-5 against Region XVI opposition. The next home game is Saturday, Feb. 13, when the Comets face Hesston College. That game will tip off at 2 p.m., inside the friendly confines of Hinkhouse Gymnasium.