Lady Skins Push Number 8 Abilene

The Liberal Lady Redskins played one of their better games of the year Saturday in Salina. But their strong effort wasn’t enough to escape their third straight defeat. Eighth ranked 4A division one Abilene beat the Lady Redskins 43-35 Saturday evening in the Bicentennial Center.

Going up against a team with a guard headed to Washburn (Cara Donley) and a post going to Fort Hays State (Belle Barbieri), the Lady Skins knew this wouldn’t be a typical loser’s bracket game. The Cowgirls jumped ahead 10-3 before LHS went back to man to man defense and it was 14-9 after a quarter and 26-17 Cowgirls at the half. The Lady Skins cut that lead the three at 32-29 after three. Abilene built an 11 point lead but struggled at the foul line down the stretch missing seven straight at one point. But Liberal couldn’t get over the hump.

LHS was 7-22 from three point range and 4-6 from the foul line. Ali Lucero had 14 and Diamond Bailey had 10 as Abilene dared Liberal to shoot from the outside. They held Jada Mickens to two points.

Liberal falls to 6-5 and Abilene is 8-2. LHS plays 5-6 Goodland Sunday at 1 with Redskin Pregame at 12:45 on 1270 and kscbnews.net.