By Rob Potter
LAKE HUNTINGTON — The Sullivan West Lady Bulldogs began the new year with a divisional victory.
SW took a 13-2 lead in the first quarter of Monday night’s Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) Division IV basketball game against the visiting Fallsburg Lady Comets. The Lady Bulldogs went on to record a 46-13 victory.
After Fallsburg’s Shanice Mack made two foul shots to pull her team to within two points at 4-2 with 5:42 remaining in the opening period, SW went on a 9-0 scoring run.
SW (4-2, 2-0 Div. IV) then outscored Fallsburg (0-7, 0-2 Div. IV), 10-0, in the second quarter for a 23-2 halftime lead.
Senior forward Lindsey Murphy and junior center Katrina Graby paced the Lady Bulldogs’ offense with 13 points and 12 points, respectively.
Joanna Trujillo added eight points for SW and Brianna Kline netted four points.
SW was 13-of-17 (76 percent) at the free-throw line, while Fallsburg went 4-of-7 (57 percent) at the line. Sheryl Pinder led the Lady Comets with four points.
Fallsburg Coach Daniel Redmond noted that his team, which has eight sophomores and freshmen, played better in the second half.
“I think I found some new plays for our offense, which will help us the rest of the season,” he said.
SW Coach Ron Bernhardt noted that his team still needs to be more fluid with its offensive plays. But he was pleased to start 2009 with a win.
“Our defense played well tonight,” he said. “And each of the girls got to play about a quarter and a half.”