Lady Lakers Fall to #8 Nationally Ranked Onondaga in MSAC Showdown

CANANDAIGUA – The Lady Lakers faced their toughest opponent thus far in the 2012-13 season on Wednesday night in the Onondaga CC Lady Lazers. Finger Lakes, seeking its seventh consecutive win, fell in the home conference contest – 63-57. Onondaga entered play ranked eighth in the nation. Both teams came into the MSAC showdown donning 5-0 conference records. The loss dropped the Lady Lakers overall record to 9-10.

Finger Lakes, on a night where it shot just 28% from the field as a team, hung in the game despite its struggles on offense. The Lady Lakers – trailing 38-24 at halftime – mounted a second half comeback where they outscored the Lady Lazers – 33-25 – before falling by six points.

Onondaga formulated its double-digit halftime lead thanks to the 14 first half points that it received out of Kayla Kibling. The Lady Lazers, in the first 20 minutes, shot 48% from the field.

Kibling – who finished with a game-high 20 points on the night – carried a hot shooting hand with her from beyond the arc. In the first half, she was 4-9 from three and overall she was 6-13 from beyond the perimeter.  

Britany Monpere led the Lady Lakers offensively with her 18 points. The sophomore forward kept Finger Lakes in the game thanks to her 14 second half points. Her 18 points came off 8-17 shooting. Monpere – in addition to her offense – totaled a game-high 17 rebounds in 34 minutes. 10 of her 17 boards came via the offensive end of Putt Moore Court.

Following Monpere in the scoring department with 13 points for the hosts was Casi Strait. Adding 8-point and 7-point games respectively for the Lady Lakers were Jordan Smith and Kelli McCauley. Smith, to go along with her points, tallied 11 rebounds in 33 minutes.

Point guard Julia Pagano added a game-high 8 assists for Finger Lakes in the losing effort.

Onondaga's Kibling was followed in the scoring department by her teammate Nacirema Mann. The sophomore guard dropped in 19 points off 7-15 shooting. In addition, Mann pulled down 13 rebounds in 28 minutes. Adding a pair of 8-point efforts for the Lady Lazers were Kaitlynne Knapp and Amanda Marcely. Knapp, on top of her offense, registered a game-high 5 blocks.

The Lady Lakers, in their next game, will host conference foes Tompkins Cortland CC at home this Saturday (1/26). Game time is set for 1:00 p.m.