Clovers fall to Eminence

EMINENCE -- The Cloverdale girls basketball team fell to the Eminence Eels Monday night, 44-30, dropping to 4-3 on the season.

Cloverdale kept the game close heading into the final quarter, trailing only by five points 28-23, but were unable to handle the size of the Eels inside.

The trio of Aulani Sinclair, Jessica Malott, and Jacqui Martin combined to score 40 of the Eels 44 points including all 16 points in the final quarter. The Clovers only managed to score seven points in the final eight minutes.

Cloverdale opened the game holding strong against a much larger Eminence squad who clogged up the paint. At the end of the quarter, Cloverdale had tied the Eels 8-all led by Hannah Monnett and Kristin Schroer who scored three points each.

In the second quarter, Eminence jumped out early and seized a lead that was never relinquished. Sinclair score six of her game high 21 points in the second quarter. Cloverdale held close with a strong defensive effort and timely scoring. Chelsie Haltom held the Eels' Martin to only six points in a great defensive effort. Heather Moon and Kristin McCammon scored two points each and Monnett scored a three to take the game into the half with the Clovers trailing 20-15.

The second half saw the Clovers start strong again and limit the Eels' Sinclair to only four points in the third. McCammon and Monnett connected on a three-pointer each to help the Clovers tie the Eels third quarter scoring at eight points.

But ultimately, the size of Eminence was too much for the Clovers and the game came to an end with Cloverdale losing.

Monnett led the Clovers in scoring with nine points. She was followed by McCammon with eight and Schroer with five.

"We had a good defensive effort, " Cloverdale Coach Bruce Cook said after the contest.

"We just couldn't get anything done on the offensive end."

Looking back on the game the coach addressed the lack of offensive production.

"We just couldn't crack the zone. We ran our offense but Eminence was just too big and physical inside."

Cloverdale (4-3) will travel to Greencastle (0-7) this Friday at 6 p.m.

At Eminence

Cloverdale 30

Eminence 44

Cloverdale - Koosman 4, McCammon 8, Moon 2, Monnett 9, Haltom 2, Schroer 5. Totals - 10 FG, 5-10 FT, 30 TP

Eminence -- Sinclair 21, Martin 6, Lawson 2, Malott 13, Decker 2. Totals - 19 FG, 6-11 FT, 44 TP

3-Pt. Shooting - Cloverdale 5 (Monnett 3, McCammon 2), Eminence 0.

Junior Varsity - Cloverdale defeated Eminence

Next Game - The Clovers (4-3) will face Greencastle (0-7) on the road Friday at 6 p.m.

Compiled by Caine Gardner