Over the last five years, Ryle and Notre Dame have faced off four times in the 9th Region
tournament.
Tuesday night’s matchup carried over the same intensity as Ryle defeated Notre Dame 51-36 on the road.
“This was a really big game. It’s always a big game against them,” said senior Quinn Eubank.
Eubank, a five-year starter for the Raiders is no stranger to the ongoing rivalry. The senior and Belmont commit has had success against the Pandas in her varsity career. Tuesday was no different as she dropped 19 points and led the Raiders in all areas of the stat sheet.
While the intensity was high on both ends to start, both programs found trouble converting baskets on the offensive end as the score was just 3-0 through the first half of the opening quarter.
As soon as Eubank broke into the scoring column late in the first quarter, the Raiders offense began to expand.
On the defensive end, Ryle forced Notre Dame into eight first quarter turnovers while limiting the Pandas to just three points.
The Raiders rolled with their first quarter momentum as their disciplined offense opened up scoring opportunities. Eubank broke free for 10 second quarter points and shared a pair of three-point baskets with fellow senior Gracie Carrigan to send the Ryle faithful into an eruption of cheers.
“They’re conditioned for this,” said Ryle head coach Katie Haitz. “The girls told us they want to run out in transition, they’ve really taken it to heart and it’s become a part of our program.”
For the home side, Notre Dame struggled to find a consistent source of offense in the first half as turnovers limited their number of possessions.
Junior Sophia Gibson had the Pandas only points in the first quarter and was one of just three players to enter the scoring column in the first half. It wasn’t until sophomore Emma Holtzapfel hit a triple which gave the home crowd a sign of hope.
As the seconds wound down in the second quarter, seventh grade forward Jayden McClain hit her first 3-pointer of the season to give the Raiders a 24-10 lead at the half.
While the Pandas’ 12 first half turnovers played a large part in the team’s offensive woes, the deficit wasn’t a testament to the team’s effort.
Coming off a four-game winning streak, Notre Dame’s high energy style of play looks to pressure their opponents into mistakes and contested shots.
Kes Murphy’s program did exactly that as the Panthers defense energized a quick 7-0 run to cut the deficit to just seven in the opening minute of the third quarter.
Just as the Pandas looked to ignite a quick second half comeback, the Raiders had a response.
Senior Sarah Baker stayed disciplined as she swished in three contested jumpers while Carrigan and Eubank knocked in three more triples to spark another response.
“You know I think we played very disciplined,” said Haitz. “We controlled the tempo and
physical play which helped us protect the ball and grab rebounds. Players like Sarah (Baker) did a great job handling early foul trouble which helped everyone make their mark and accomplish the things we needed to do.”
Notre Dame’s offense finally found its rhythm as juniors Kate Resing and Maya Lawrie scrapped their way to the rim; however, the Pandas’ window for a comeback looked to be coming to a close.
The Raiders took a commanding 42-27 lead heading into the final quarter thanks to back-to-back triples from sophomore Jaelyn Jones. Baskets from Eubank, Carrigan and Baker just about sealed the deal as the Raiders held a 20 point lead halfway through the final quarter.
Tuesday night’s loss drops the Pandas to 19-6 on the season. While no players had a double-digit performance, the main scoring load was carried by Gibson and Holtzapfel, who each had nine.
Two weeks shy of the postseason, Notre Dame will continue to test themselves among the state’s elite.
First up is a home match against No. 3 ranked George Rogers Clark. The Pandas will then face DuPont Manual before closing out the season against the No. 2 ranked Cooper Jaguars.
The Raiders were led by Eubank’s 19, Jones’ 12 and Baker’s eight second half points. Improving to 18-8 on the season, Ryle will close out the regular season on the road against a tough Franklin County team ranked 12th in the state before facing off against Conner in the 33rd District Tournament.
“You know we’ve got districts in about two weeks,” said Eubank. “It’s all going to be about
staying in shape and getting ready for the tournament.”
