Wyoming Seminary defeats Marian

In a game where size does matter, Marian was overmatched time and again against a more athletic and taller Wyoming Seminary on Thursday in a non-league battle.

The Blue Knights dominated the glass on both ends, and took advantage of cold Marian shooting, to pull out a 39-34 victory.

Not only are the Fillies (1-3) struggling in the early season, they’re wounded as well. Marian is still without its leading returning scorer, Emily Shaud, who will be out until next month after a summer ACL injury. It’s a huge missing piece that is impacting the Fillies’ offensive attack.

“This is a tough place to play,” said Wyoming Seminary coach Abigail Broadway, “I’m just so happy that we came out of here with a win. We had some mistakes, but managed to overcome them.”

Her team also had an impressive Division I player in Ally Vezendy who is headed to Mary Mount College. The 5-11 senior poured in a game-high 11 points.

Macy Alansky equaled Vezendy’s point production to pace the Fillies, while Abby Digris dropped in 10. Alansky had eight of her total in the first half, including a pair of triples in the second quarter, but the Knights clamped down on her in the second half. Digris posted a pair of triples as well.

The Fillies had their best stretch of the game midway through the second quarter after Seminary got a field goal from Alex Weskneski to open the period for a 14-13 lead.Marian slid in front thanks to Alansky, who drained two straight triples.

But the Knights answered late in the period thanks to Ava Bufalino and Margaret Mihalick’s trey that cut the Marian advantage to 22-21 at halftime.

Although the Fillies stayed within striking distance to start the second half, the numbers game was starting to take its toll.

The Fillies shot 1-for-8 from the floor, but remarkably trailed only 32-28 heading into the final quarter.

Marian wasn’t going down for the count as it got key baskets from Julia Kreisl and Alansky to sneak ahead, 34-32.

But then things swung in favor of the Blue Knights, who jumped out in front 37-34 on baskets from Weskneski and Maddie Olshemski. Ashley Pleban hit a pair of fouls for Marian in that span, but the Knights were equal to the challenge, closing with three foul conversions to seal the win.

OFF THE GLASS… The Blue Knights had a 43-34 edge in the rebounding department. They were led by Mihalick’s 13, and nine apiece from Vezendy and Weskneski. Pleban hauled in eight for Marian.

MISSING INGREDIENT … Missing Shaud is two-fold for Marian, because she’s the team’s engine and also has the keys to the car. Shaud is not only an outside shooting threat, she can also dribble penetrate, and until she returns, that is lacking.

WYOMING SEMINARY

Vezendy 5-1-4-11, Weskneski 2-2-4-6, Mihalick 2-0-0-6, Olshemski 2-0-0-4, Bufalino 2-0-0-4, Duelt 2-0-0-4, Getz 2-0-0-4. TOTALS: 15-3-8-39.

MARIAN 34

Alansky 4-1-2-11, A. Digris 4-0-0-10, Kreisl 1-2-2-4, Pleban 1-2-3-4, Reinoehl 1-1-2-3, Nemeth 1-0-0-2, Possessky 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 12-6-9-34,

Wyoming Seminary 12 9 11 7 – 39

Marian 13 9 6 6 – 34

Three-pointers: WS – Mihalick 2. M – A. Digris 2, Alansky 1.