This piece was submitted by Emma Tucker (10, J&C).

Lady Crimsons lost to Sacred Heart yesterday with the final score of 45-66, but they did not go down without a fight. The Lady Crimsons were hoping to avenge their loss against Sacred Heart when they played them in the Seventh Regional semifinal last year.

In the beginning, The Lady Crimsons were constantly moving, putting the ball into motion, cutting through the lanes to get open, and setting picks for one another since Sacred Heart’s defense was difficult to penetrate.

Also, SHA’s players were taller and retrieved more rebounds to put the ball back up into the basket.

Daisha White (#22, 12) found their weakness by getting fouled when going up for a shot. She averaged one basket at the line.

Before halftime Ayanna Stroud (#21, 12) made two three-pointers back to back, putting the score at 18-36.

Throughout the game, The Lady Crimsons were having trouble scoring the ball, had holes in their defense, and got multiple turnovers allowing Sacred Heart to have a significant lead. 

However, the Lady Crimsons kept their fighting spirit throughout the game Sydne Tolbert (#5, 11) slid across the gym floor multiple times to get possession of the ball for her team. She also fought her way through the defense and made multiple layups in the process. 

It was the second game of the season and The Lady Crimsons now have a 1-1 record.

“We learned how we line up against other top teams in the region and what we have to work on to improve the way that we want to play,” Ayanna Stroud (#21, 12) said.

FINAL from 2nd & Lee Streets in Louisville:@ValkyriesBBall 66@LadyCrimsonBB 45
Crimsons will win a lot of games with their fast-paced, high pressure style, but SHA is a rough match-up for them (& everybody else) with size, experience, depth & up-tempo aptitude of their own. pic.twitter.com/6QCzCQPcjS

— John David Dyche (@jddyche) December 4, 2021

Their next match is an away game against Mercy Academy on December 7.