Comets fall to Mo. Valley JV

Cottey's Amber Harper attempts a jumper. (Photo by Gabe Franklin/Daily Mail)

The Cottey Comets basketball team was defeated 62-54 by the Missouri Valley College Vikings junior varsity team, Thursday night in Nevada.

The Comets opened with guard Sydney Rose and Kelsey Acton putting in two points each in the first minute. Alyssa Misselt opened scoring for the Vikings with a 3-pointer at the 8:10 mark. Cottey's Destany Ross responded less than a minute later with her own 3-pointer.

The teams traded points before Comets shooting guard Latasha Griggs converted two points on her first trip to the line. Over the net five minutes the Vikings ran off five points, followed by four from the Comet's Kasey Acton and Cheyenne Ortiz to wrap up the first quarter with Cottey leading 15-10.

Comets guard Kelsey Acton looks for an open teammate. (Photo by Gabe Frankli/Daily Mail)

Amber Harper put the first points on the scoreboard for Cottey early in the secon quarter. Griggs followed up with a single point from the charity stripe. The Viking outscored the Comets 6-2 before the first timeout with just over four minutes left in the first half.

Coming out of the timeout, Cottey went on an 8-0 run before the Vikings countered with one from the charity stripe and a 3-pointer from Devon Collins. The Comets wrapped up the half with a free throw from Kelsey Acton and a bucket from Ortiz. Going into the half, the Comets held a 29-22 advantage.

The Vikings went on a quick 4-0 run to open the third quarter, followed by a three from Mich'lae Higa at the 7:50 mark to tie the game 29-29. Following a timeout, Higa recorded another basket before Cottey could get on the board with 5:32 left in the quarter.

Baily Topil sank a 3-pointer with just under three minutes left to increase the Vikings lead to 36-31. A Rose free throw at 2:17 and Ortiz rebound and put-back closed the gap to just two points. Topil put in another two before the teams traded free throws with 30 ticks left in the third quarter, leaving the Comets trailing 40-36 going into the fourth quarter.Nearly midway through the final frame, a 5-0 Missouri Valley run handed the Vikings a 51-43 lead. Over the final four minutes of regulation, the Vikings were able to salt away the game at the line.

For Cottey Ortiz scored a team-high 14 points. Kelsey Acton followed with 13 and Rose 12.