Girls Basketball: Metea Valley too much for Andrew

Updated: December 28, 2011 11:50PM

Metea Valley’s height and solid guard play proved to be too much for Andrew to handle in a 41-29 loss in the quarterfinal round of the fifth annual Oswego East Holiday Classic onWednesday.

Metea Valley (6-7) featured a pair of 6-foot-2 players in juniors Lori Obendorf and Anna Petersen, who combined for 20 points and 18 rebounds.

“It was a tough match up for us,” Andrew coach Bobby Matz said. “They were able to maximize their advantage over us and it frustrated us. It got in our heads a little bit.”

Andrew, the No. 2 seed, drops into the fifth-place bracket to face Plainfield Central (8-5) at 3:30 p.m. Thursday.

Andrew (8-3) led 10-8 after a quarter. A 9-0 Metea Valley run in the second quarter allowed the underdogs to take a 22-15 advantage into the break. Andrew made two second-quarter baskets.

“I think we got a little nervous and scared after we lost the lead,” Matz said. “Their combination of talent, athleticism and size was too much for us.”

Nicole Botich (nine points, six rebounds) scored seven points in the first two quarters. However, the 6-foot senior picked up her third foul 20 seconds into the third and did not return until early in the fourth.

Mehgan McHale’s third layup of the third quarter cut the lead to 26-23 with 1:30 to play in the quarter. Metea Valley scored the final four points of the quarter to reestablish a seven-point lead (30-23) heading into the fourth. Andrew did not score its first field goal until the 1:28 mark of the fourth.

“I thought we played a great defensive game,” Matz said. “Our defense played well and our offense did not. Their size hurt us and we knew that going into the game.”

Tiana Karopulos had 11 points and seven rebounds for the Thunderbolts.

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