Van Buren County survived a back-and-forth battle with Burlington Notre Dame, securing a 50-45 victory on Friday night, January 9th. The Warriors improved to 8-3 overall and 6-3 in conference play, earning their second win over the Nikes this season after previously defeating them 44-29 on December 2nd.
The victory was particularly impressive given that Van Buren County played without starting big Daphny Wells, who was sidelined due to illness.
Game Flow
Burlington Notre Dame jumped out to an early 8-3 lead in the first quarter, but Van Buren County responded with a strong finish to take a 15-10 advantage after the opening period. The Warriors extended their lead by halftime, holding a 31-24 edge.
The third quarter saw another momentum shift as the Nikes reclaimed the lead at 35-33. However, Van Buren County answered and held a 39-37 advantage heading into the final period.
Clutch Fourth Quarter
The game came down to the wire in the fourth quarter. With three minutes remaining, Burlington Notre Dame held a slim 42-41 lead. Marlee Mertens tied the game with a free throw at 42-42, setting the stage for a crucial sequence.
Sophia Jirak came up with a steal in the full-court press after the inbound and passed it to Kayley Snowgren, who drove for a layup while drawing a foul. She completed the and-one to give Van Buren County a 45-42 lead with 2:26 remaining.
Burlington Notre Dame responded by hitting two free throws to cut the deficit to 45-44 with 1:24 left on the clock. That’s when Sophia Jirak delivered the dagger, draining a huge three-pointer with 1:14 remaining to push the lead to 48-44.
Burlington Notre Dame made one of two free throws with 57 seconds remaining but would not score again. Despite some late miscues by Van Buren County, the Warriors’ defense held strong, preventing the Nikes from getting another basket. Jirak sealed the victory by making two free throws in the closing seconds for the final 50-45 margin.
Statistical Leaders
Sophia Jirak led all scorers with 18 points, including 13 in the first half, along with seven rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Marlee Mertens added 12 points, with seven coming in the crucial second half, along with four rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Adalyn Snowgren also scored 12 points, posting 10 in the first half, and dominated the glass with 13 rebounds.
Kayley Snowgren contributed three points but made her impact felt across the stat sheet with seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Elli Daugherty provided four points and two rebounds with zero turnovers in a solid performance replacing Wells in the starting lineup. Aubrey Loeffler added one point, and Ava Loeffler grabbed one rebound.
As a team, Van Buren County shot 16-55 from the field, 5-28 from three-point range, and 13-17 from the free-throw line. The Warriors pulled down 34 rebounds, distributed 11 assists, recorded 9 steals, committed 12 fouls, and had 16 turnovers.
Looking Ahead
Van Buren County improves to 8-3 overall and 6-3 in conference play. They’ll be back in action in Fairfield on Monday, January 12th. Burlington Notre Dame falls to 1-9 overall and 1-7 in conference competition.
Photography Courtesy of Jaime Moquin.
