FACTORYVILLE — One team finally had all the pieces fall into place, while the other is still searching for its identity.
Mountain View overcame a six-point deficit at the end of the first quarter to defeat Lackawanna Trail, 45-32, in a Lackawanna League Division 4 girls basketball game on Monday for its first win of the season.
Lackawanna Trail had several scoreless droughts throughout the game, including one that lasted nearly five minutes in the fourth quarter.
“We need to work on our consistency and learn how to win,” Lackawanna Trail head coach Lauren Sheakoski said. “We’re just not used to winning, so I need to get them into the mentality that they’re good enough to win and help them realize it. I need everyone to be on the same page and everyone to give 100 percent every game, not just one or two girls.”
Mountain View (1-13, 1-0 Div. 4) closed the second quarter on a 9-3 run to tie the game at 21 heading into halftime. Freshman Sydney Newhart scored six of her 12 points during the quarter. Newhart also grabbed 15 rebounds, blocked eight shots and had four steals.
The Lady Eagles continued their momentum into the second half, scoring 10 of the first 13 points of the third quarter.
Freshman Samantha Baltrusaitis, who scored three points off the bench, and sophomore Laurelann Penn, who finished with six points and six rebounds, scored the only Lady Lions baskets in the quarter.
Lackawanna Trail forced Mountain View into 27 turnovers and sophomore Allison Decker led the defensive effort with five steals. She also had three points and seven rebounds.
“Ally Decker played until the end, I can’t really ask more of her effort,” Sheakoski said.
The Lady Lions struggled to score points in the second half, converting just 3 of 20 field goal attempts and scoring 11 points.
“I couldn’t have asked for better defense from the girls,” Mountain View head coach Ashley Kilmer said. “They really put their minds to it tonight and were focused. For the first time, I feel like they played very well as a team. We’re very young and the first half of the season allowed us to gain the experience we needed to learn how to win.”
Lackawanna Trail (3-13, 0-1) cut the deficit to seven points with just over five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter on a 3-point play from Cali Fauquier, but Mountain View responded by scoring eight of the next 10 points to seal the win.
Fauquier, a freshman, led Lackawanna Trail with 13 points.
“She stepped in as a starter for the first time and put up big points, but also just gave us good, strong minutes,” Sheakoski said.
Lackawanna Trail will host Montrose at 7:15 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 29 in a Lackawanna League Division 4 contest.
