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Comets finish Forest Park sweep
By Joe Warren
Nevada Daily Mail
NEVADA, Mo. -- Lacy Leonard tallied 29 points and 14 rebounds and the Cottey Comets got strong performances across the board as they knocked off St. Louis Community College-Forest Park Saturday.
The Comets won 69-65, giving them a sweep over the Lady Highlanders in the season series.
The game was tight throughout, as Forest Park led most of the first half, going into the break with a 32-29 advantage.
Leonard single-handedly carried the Comets offensively in the first 20 minutes, scoring 15 points before halftime.
In the second half the Comets continued to trail until a 12-0 run that began with a 3-pointer by Kerri Shanks, and ended with two foul shots by Leonard. The Comets led 52-44 by the time the run was over.
Kayla Orear and Ashleigh Houdyshell also contributed offensively while the Comets turned the tide, but it was the defensive play by Houdyshell that might have been the difference.
The 5-11 Webb City graduate blocked three shots during the run, getting the Hinkhouse crowd into the game and providing an emotional lift to the Comets.
"The first half we couldn't get on track," Cottey head coach Dave Ketterman said. "The start of the second half we were waiting for something to get us going. Houdyshell got all those blocks, it picked us up."
Cottey led the rest of the way, going up by as many as nine points. The Lady Highlanders would not go away, and they got within two at 67-65 with 30 seconds to play. Single free throws by Leonard and Orear pushed the margin to its final tally.
Orear joined Leonard in double figures with 12 points, adding seven rebounds and six assists.
Houdyshell added six points and eight rebounds to go with her three blocks, and Shanks contributed with nine points and eight assists.
The one sore spot for Cottey was their free throw shooting, where they went only 15 of 24 (63 percent).
Forest Park had four players in double figures, led by Kiara Smith's 13 points.
Cottey improved to 6-6 overall and 3-2 in NJCAA Region 16.
The Comets continue a three-game homestand today when they host North Central Missouri College at 7 p.m. North Central is currently 17-3 overall, 4-0 in the region.