Comets stay in the Flo

NEVADA, Mo. -- The Cottey Comets knocked off St. Louis Community College-Florissant Valley Saturday, 64-48.

Cottey outscored the Norsewomen 36-22 in the second half to pull away.

Lacy Leonard continued to set the pace for Cottey offensively, scoring 29 points to go with 12 rebounds.

Leonard, who is second in the nation in NJCAA Division II in scoring, is averaging over 22 points and nine rebounds per game.

Kayla Orear helped Leonard carry the scoring burden with 17 points. Orear scored 10 after halftime.

Kerri Shanks added eight points and five assists for Cottey, as they finished a season sweep of Flo Valley, the second Region 16 team the Comets have handled.

Cottey also swept Forest Park in their home-and-home series.

The win moves Cottey's record to 7-7 overall, 4-3 in the region. The Comets are now only one region win from clinching a home game in the first round of the region tournament later this month. They have to play North Central Missouri College, St. Louis-Meramec and Penn Valley once more this season.

"I like our chances of getting one of the last three," Cottey head coach Dave Ketterman said, noting that two of them were at home.

The Comets will be in Trenton Saturday as they visit North Central, the ninth-ranked team in the country for Division II.

Cottey's next home game will be Feb. 11, against Meramec.