In what is becoming quite a rivalry in the SEC Red between Dexter and Saline, the teams once again went down to the wire, and it was the Dreadnaughts that came out on top to hand the Hornets its first loss of the season 45-43 Tuesday night.
The teams have played five times since Dexter moved to the Red with the Dreadnaughts leading 3-2 in the series and three of the five games being decided by four points or less.
It looked like Dexter was going to control Tuesday night’s game when they went on a 9-0 run to take a 13-4 lead in the first quarter. Saline would answer with five straight to cut the lead to 13-9, but Dexter scored the last six points on the quarter for a 19-9 lead after one.
The Dreads would push the lead to 24-10 in the second, but Kate Stemmer sparked the Hornets with a pair of triples and spark a 14-2 run to cut the Dexter lead to 26-24 at the half.
The Dexter defense clamped down in the third, holding Saline to just five points, while Kendall Cabana and Heidi Fuchs hit big triples in the quarter to help Dexter with a 12-5 run to take a 38-29 lead after three.
Saline got right back in it early in the fourth with a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 38-35, but Dexter answered with baskets by Alena Blumberg and Fuchs to push the lead back to seven 42-35.
Saline had one last kick left in them sparked by a pair of triples by Hadley Griffin and the Hornets were within one point 42-41.
A Blumberg basket made it 44-41 and the teams each hit one free throw to make it 45-42.
Saline had one last chance, but the three-pointer bounced off the rim. The Hornets got the offensive rebound and was fouled. They made the first free throw and the second bounced away to make the final 45-45.
Blumberg led the Dreadnaughts with 19 points, including 10 in the first quarter when Dexter took the early lead.
Cabana added 10 points and Fuchs finished with nine. Alyssa Gullekson chipped in with five and Addison Chase two.
Griffin led Saline with 13 points, including ten in the fourth to help the Hornets rally.
Kadyn Maida added 11 points and Keira Roehm eight. Stemmer finished with six points, Megan Sweet and Ayla Stage two each, and Bailey Burt one.
Dexter improved to 7-2 overall and 2-0 in the SEC Red and will return to action Friday night at Skyline.
Saline fell to 6-1 overall and 1-1 in the Red. They will host Ypsilanti Lincoln Friday night.
Photos by Dawn McCann