Lady Vandals suffer frustrating overtime loss at Pana

By Editor | December 23, 2014 |

PANA — Missed opportunities and a questionable call late in the game proved too much to overcome for the Vandalia Lady Vandals.
On the other hand, Pana got it done in crunch time in a 49-46 overtime victory over Vandalia on Thursday night.
Vandalia Coach Michelle McNary said it was a disappointing loss to take.
"We had a lot of chances, but we just couldn't capitalize on them," McNary said. "We struggled from the floor shooting again. And if you do that, you're probably not going to win."
Things just didn't go Vandalia's way at the end of the game.
The Lady Vandals appeared to have the game won at the end of regulation after running an out of bounds play, as Emma Meyer scored inside. But a whistle blew and Vandalia's Makayla Tinker was called for an offensive foul, wiping out the hoop.
"I have no idea," McNary said when asked about the call. "Makayla wasn't screening anybody. She was going in to crash the boards. That was a killer. It's frustrating."
The game then went into overtime, where the Lady Panthers got a layup and a free throw with under 40 seconds to play.
Vandalia's final two possessions of the game featured a turnover and an empty possession, as the Lady Vandals were unable to get up a shot before time expired.
The Lady Vandals had to finish the game without their top two scorers, as Tinker and Meyer both fouled out.
"We just didn't catch the breaks at the end of the game with Tinker and Meyer fouling out," McNary said. "That killed us. Those are our two leading scorers."
McNary added that it wasn't an excuse, but several of the Lady Vandals have been battling an illness of late.
"We've been battling the flu," McNary said. "We had four girls playing sick out there and Karlie (Bright) is still hobbled a little bit. It was a good game, but we came out flat. But I'm not taking anything away from Pana. They played really hard."
The Lady Vandals slipped to 5-5 on the season with the loss.

Game Stats
A sophomore guard, Meyer scored 15 points to lead the Lady Vandals. Leah Francis added 12 points and Tinker scored 10. The Lady Vandals made just five of 13 free throws.
Sophomore Daylee Denton scored 16 points for Pana, with six coming in the overtime period. Reaghan Vaughn also reached double figures with 13 points. The Panthers got the line foul line 24 times, making 10.

Game Recap
The Lady Vandals finished the first period with an 8-2 run. Those points gave the visitors a 13-9 lead heading into the second quarter.
The second period was back and forth all the way, as neither team could gain much of a lead. The Lady Vandals gave up a layup just before the buzzer, and the game was tied, 23-23, at intermission. Pana outscored Vandalia, 14-10, in the second period.
Another questionable call went against Vandalia in the second period when Meyer was whistled for a technical foul after inbounding the ball. Many in the gymnasium were left scratching their heads.
"He said she ran the baseline out of bounds before coming in and receiving the ball," McNary said. "That was three points for them on that play."
A quick look a rule book states that a technical can be called on a player for "remaining out of bounds to gain an advantage."
In the third quarter, Pana was able to hit three-pointers on consecutive possessions to take a 32-28 lead. But Meyer answered back with a trey of her own.
By the time the third period end, Pana was clinging to a 34-33 advantage.
After a putback inside by Francis and two hoops by Meyer, the game was tied, 40-40.
After the Panthers made two of four foul shots, Meyer scored again, tying the score at 42 with 1:35 left.
Both teams then traded turnovers, and the game was still tied with 29 seconds to play.
Pana's Vaughn missed a jumper and the Vandals got the rebound, headed up the floor and called timeout with 4.9 seconds remaining.
Vandalia then ran an out of bounds play that got Meyer free for what appeared to be the game-winning hoop. But a whistle blew. The official called Tinker for an offensive foul, telling Coach McNary that Tinker had set an illegal screen. The foul was Tinker's fifth, ending her night.
Pana then missed a last-second shot, and the game went into overtime.
After Pana's Denton scored, Francis scored inside to tie the game.
Vandalia senior Elizabeth Miller then scored inside on a putback to give the Lady Vandals the lead. The Panthers then turned the ball over, but the Vandals returned the favor.
Denton scored to tie the game at 46.
Both teams then missed free throws, with Meyer fouling out for Vandalia, leaving the team without its top two scorers.
Vandalia had the ball with 48 seconds left, and a jumper by Madison Klanke was off the mark. Denton raced down the floor the other way and scored with 36 seconds left to give the Panthers the lead, 48-46.
Vandalia then turned the ball over. Vaughn of Pana made one of two free throws for a 49-46 lead.
The Lady Vandals had one last chance, taking a timeout with 5.9 seconds showing on the clock. Vandalia got the ball to Klanke in the corner, but she couldn't get a shot off before the buzzer sounded.
"They overplayed her and forced her out to the corner," McNary said. "They probably knew she was going to be the one we wanted to shoot it."

Game Notes
Vandalia played at Hillsboro on Monday night. See related story. The Lady Vandals will begin play at the Mattoon Christmas Tournament on Dec. 26.
JV falls
Pana won the JV girls game, 41-36. Klanke scored eight points for the Lady Vandals, while Olivia Marquardt and Lindsay Dagen scored six points apiece.
The loss dropped Vandalia's JV record to 3-3.

Pana 49, Vandalia 46
VA 13 10 10 9 4 — 46
PA 9 14 11 8 7 — 49
Vandalia: Madison Klanke 0 0-0 0, Karlie Bright 2 0-1 4, Leah Francis 6 0-1 12, Kelsey Swain 0 0-1 0, Haley Cannon 0 0-0 0, Elizabeth Miller 1 0-0 2, Emma Meyer 5 4-8 15, Madelyn Hosick 1 1-2 3, Makayla Tinker 5 0-0 10. Totals 19 (1) 5-13 46. Three-pointer: Meyer. Fouls 19. Fouled out: Tinker, Meyer. Technical: Meyer.
Pana: Waddington 1 0-0 3, Vaughn 4 4-8 13, Beck 3 0-2 6, Siegert 0 4-8 4, Holthaus 2 0-2 4, Rochkes 2 1-2 3, Denton 7 1-2 16. Totals 15 (3) 10-24 49. Three-pointers: Waddington, Vaughn, Denton. Fouls 15. Fouled out: None.
JV game: Pana, 41-36.