Loyola puts bid in for top-4 seed at sectional
BY MATT HARNESS mharness@pioneerlocal.com January 19, 2012 10:18PM
Chicago, 1/19/12--Mother McAuley basketball players lined up during the National Anthem, pre-game vs. Loyola. |Vincent D. Johnson~for Sun Times Media
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Updated: January 23, 2012 7:26PM
This is showcase week for girls basketball teams, and No. 17 Loyola already is making a strong case for a high seed at next week’s sectional meeting.
After beating No. 14 Fremd on Monday, the Ramblers earned a 47-41 win over Mother McAuley on road Thursday.
“We knew this was a big game for us,” said Loyola senior Lauren Kriz. “This game was a worth a lot to us.”
Loyola improved to 17-6 overall and 6-1 in the GCAC Red. The Ramblers likely will be the second seed at the conference tournament, which starts Jan. 30. The loss was the second for the Mighty Macs (13-9) in league play.
Kriz scored six of her 10 points in the fourth quarter to lead Loyola to the win. Her press-breaking layup put the Ramblers up 44-39 with 1:08 to go. She then blocked a three-point try on the other end.
“I saw the lane open up, so I just took it,” Kriz said.
Loyola secured the victory with three free throws in the final 23.6 seconds.
But the Mighty Macs weren’t easy to put away.
They trailed by nine early in the second half before an 8-0 run, capped by Tiffany Fortune’s three-point play, gave them their first lead of the game with 1:22 to go in the third quarter.
Alyssa Siwek then scored back-to-back baskets to start the fourth to lift McAuley to a 35-32 advantage.
But the Ramblers rallied behind Kriz, who started an 8-1 run. Anna Schueler’s three-point play put the Ramblers ahead 40-36 with 4:18 remaining.
The Mighty Macs got as close as two, but couldn’t complete the comeback.
Schueler scored 15 points for Loyola, while K.C. Stralka added 10 points. Siwek took scoring honors with 20 points.
“We realize we only have so many games left in our careers,” said Kriz, one of five seniors on the Ramblers. “We are trying to make the most of it.”
Loyola looks to earn one of the top four seeds at the New Trier Sectional. No. 8 Maine South is the favorite for the top seed, while No. 20 Glenbrook South, No. 21 Niles West and No. 24 New Trier are in the mix for the other high seeds.
The seeding meeting is Jan. 26, and the pairings will be announced Jan. 27.
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