WRV cracks win column at Union (Dugger)'s expense

The White River Valley Lady Wolverines finally got their first win of the season Thursday night at Dugger. WRV's Alicia Tally and Union (Dugger)'s Morgan Stanifer go after a loose ball as players from both teams watch. (By Rick Curl/Greene County Daily World). [Order this photo]

After dropping their first six games by a combined score of 339-174, the Lady Wolverines finally broke into the win column with a 52-50 decision over Union (Dugger) here Thursday night in a Southwestern Indiana Athletic Conference game.

"I'm really happy for them," WRV coach Joe Pigg said. "They've worked hard so far and they deserve to get a win.

"It makes them feel a lot better and I'm glad to see smiles on their faces after a game."

WRV point guard Alicia Tally, who has been carrying the majority of the load since the season began, finally got the help she needed.

The 5-6 senior, who entered the contest averaging 17.6 points per game, led all scorers with 21 points.

But it was a new edition to the WRV roster that helped carry the load while Tally struggled to find her shot in the first two quarters.

Sophomore Lydia Miller made her debut a positive one as she drained a dozen markers, 10 of them in the second quarter, while her senior teammate shook off the effects of a defense that was keying on her.

Miller scored a pair of 3-pointers and a pair deuces in a quarter that saw the Lady Wolverines outscore their hosts 13-12 and keep her hosts within striking distance as the second half loomed.

"I thought Alicia played extremely well in the second half," Pigg said. "And I thought Lydia kind of carried us in the first half."

But the newly-arrived sophomore wasn't the only member of the supporting cast behind Tally that was able to do damage to the Lady Bulldogs hopes for a third win.

Freshman McKaylea Mowery nearly doubled her season point total as she recorded a career-high 15 points in the victory.

"It was a good effort," Pigg said. "McKaylea was strong inside all night long."

It was a total that included a pair of free throws down the final stretch, that combined with three more from Tally, sealed the Lady Wolverines first win of the year and helped lift them out of the cellar in the SWIAC.

For the first time all season, WRV (1-6, 1-3 SWIAC) put five players in the scorebook as Maddy Dyer and Amanda Mowery added two points each.

"I thought overall a good team effort," Pigg said. "They played hard, I thought they listened. So I'm extremely happy for them."

The Lady Bulldogs (2-3, 0-2), who watched a nine-point third quarter lead evaporate quickly, countered with 20 points from sophomore point guard Megan Stanifer and 12 from junior post player Shayna Nicol.

"I half predicted it because you tend to play like you practice," Union (Dugger) coach Benji Boyd said. "And we've had several bad ones in the last week."

Boyd credited Pigg for having his team prepared for the game -- despite their season-opening losing streak.

"I knew they'd play hard and I knew they'd play well," Boyd admitted. "Joe's always got them ready and they keep getting better every week. Joe would have them ready and I kind of predicted it."

After surviving the first half with a 24-20 lead, the Lady Bulldogs surged ahead on an 8-2 run to open the third quarter, but were unable to sustain momentum.

After failing to convert on four of their first five possessions, the Lady Wolverines -- and Tally -- started showing signs of life that spilled over into the fourth quarter.

Tally snapped the string of misfires with a steal and basket at the 5:17 mark that negated Stanifer's three-point play seconds earlier to make the score 31-24.

Another basket by Stanifer at the 5:04 mark would be the last for Union (Dugger) until she connected at the buzzer.

Meanwhile WRV took full advantage as Tally and Mowery nailed buckets in the final stages to briefly take the lead at 34-33 before Stanifer's finally marker of the frame.

Things continued to go well for WRV in the fourth quarter as they opened with a 6-0 run -- all scored by Tally -- to take a 41-37 lead that didn't disappear.

"With a team like this I know we're going to make baby steps forward and sometimes take them backwards too," Pigg said. "But tonight we took one forward. We're happy."

The Lady Wolverines return to action Friday Dec. 11 when they travel to Eminence while the Lady Bulldogs return to action Saturday with a trip to Bloomfield at 12 p.m.

WHITE RIVER VALLEY (52) -- Megan Lemmons 0 0-0 0, McKaylea Mowery 5-14 5-9 15, Alicia Tally 8-15 3-6 21, Lydia Miller 5-15 0-1 12, Maddy Dyer 1-4 0-0 2, Amanda Mowery 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 20-51 8-16 52.

UNION (DUGGER) (50) -- Morgan Stanifer 7-16 4-5 20, Cheyenne Goodman 2-9 0-0 5, Conner Kendall 0-1 1-2 1, Chelsee Goodman 4-10 0-0 9, Taylor Woods 1-2 0-0 3, Shayna Nicol 5-11 2-3 12. Totals 19-49 7-10 50.

White River Valley 17 13 14 18 -- 52

Union (Dugger) 12 12 11 15 -- 50

3-point shooting -- WRV 3-12 (Miller 2-6, Tally 1-5, Dyer 0-1), Union (Dugger) 5-15 (Woods 1-1, Chel. Goodman 1-3, Chey. Goodman 1-6, Stanifer 1-3). Total fouls -- WRV 13, Union (Dugger) 17. Fouled out -- Woods, Nicol. Technical fouls -- none. Rebounds -- WRV 30 (Miller 8), Union (Dugger) 33 (Nicol 12). Steals -- WRV 10 (M. Mowery 5), Union (Dugger) 4 (Stanifer 3). Blocked shots -- WRV none, Union (Dugger) 1 (Nicol). Turnovers -- WRV 12, Union (Dugger) 15. No junior varsity game.