Saline Girls' Stumble for First Setback of Season

For the first time this season, the Saline girls' basketball team struggled on offense, and it cost the Hornets as they fell to a strong Toledo Rogers team 49-36 Monday, January 2.

The Hornets had many opportunities to score in the opening quarter, but couldn't find the basket as Rogers took a 13-7 lead after one.

"We got a ton of great looks, open layups, and just didn’t finish like we need to," Coach Leigh Ann Roehm said.  In the first half we also have up too many 2nd chances on the glass.

Saline would battle back in the seconds and took a 21-17 lead on a Kate Stemmer triple, but Rogers answered and tied the game at 21 at the break. 

Rogers scored the first four of the second half for a 25-21 lead, but Anna Hesse nailed a three-pointer to cut the lead to one and a breakaway lay-up by Stemmer put Saline on top 26-25.

It would be the last time Saline would lead. Rogers scored back-to-back baskets for a 29-26 lead when Hadley Griffin nailed a triple to tie the game at 29.

Rogers would score the last two baskets of the third to take a 33-29 lead into the final period.

A triple to open the fourth for Rogers pushed the lead to seven at 36-29, but the Hornets continued to hang tough with baskets by Beth Ann Ford and Hesse to cut the lead to 37-33.

Rogers answered with five straight to move the lead to 42-33 at the midway point in the third.

Hesse nailed another triple to cut the lead to six 42-36 with just over three minutes left in the fourth, but the Hornets would get no closer as Rogers hit seven free throws in the final two minutes to seal the win.

"I was proud of the way we battled back after getting down early," Roehm said. "My girls showed a lot of fight verse a physical Toledo Rogers team. We lost to a really good team tonight."

Keira Roehm led the Hornets with 10 points, while Hesse finished with eight.

Stemmer finished with seven points, Griffin five, Ford, Taylor Kangas, and Kadyn Maida two each.

"This was a great battle for us to learn from heading into the SEC season," Roehm said. " We are going back tomorrow to practice and get after it. This team will bounce back. I can’t wait to take the floor and compete with them again."