Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chelmsford | 8 | 12 | 7 | 14 | 41 |
Andover | 9 | 8 | 19 | 9 | 45 |
Tuesday, January, 20 By Jeff Hamrick
ANDOVER — To her credit — and her coach's — Talia
Dellatto did her best to play off the bucket as just another layup in a
team-effort victory.
"I mean, really, it was the whole team
throughout the whole game," Dellatto said after getting hugs from pretty
much the entire Andover booster section. "That was just one little play
there that happened to change the game. It could've been anyone out
there, but I was just glad we won."
Sure, Talia, it was just one
of 16 Golden Warrior field goals — the only one of your night, in fact
— but that layup unquestionably proved to be the biggest shot in what
could prove to be one of the biggest wins of what is becoming another
season of high expectations.
With Chelmsford holding the ball in a
tie game, Dellatto stepped in front of a Lion pass about five feet
above the arc. The senior guard hauled in the ball she punched free and
converted the game-winning layup with 15 seconds remaining. And when
teammate Rachael Cormier nailed a couple free throws moments later, the
Golden Warriors had a key 45-41 victory over the previously undefeated
and ninth-ranked Lions.
"It definitely is a big thing," Dellatto
said after being pushed to expand on the play. "It was a great moment,
especially after not playing last year.I got three concussions my
sophomore year, so I had to sit out all last year. I'm just thankful to
be back this year."
But after that brief moment of self
satisfaction, the only substitute Andover coach E.J. Perry used last
night reverted back to recognizing the team.
"The past week of
practice, we've been working on deny (the pass)," said Dellatto, who has
scored in only seven games this season, including a season-high 11 in a
Christmas tourney victory over North Andover. "So I just owe it all to
coach and the other girls on the team."
Dellatto's play was part
of an Andover defense that needed to bounce back after allowing a pair
of 22-point quarters in the Warriors' loss to North Andover their last
time out. Although they held the Lions to eight points in the opening
quarter and 20 in the half, the Warriors could not keep Chelmsford (9-1)
off the boards, allowing 11 offensive rebounds.
And when the
Warriors (10-1) turned over the ball on eight of their final 11
first-half possessions while going scoreless the final 4:50, they found
themselves in 20-17 hole at intermission. A more consistent offensive
effort in a 19-point third quarter helped Andover claim a nine-point
advantage going into the fourth.
"We had a great heart to heart
about that," Perry said about the week board play. "Then Jillian
(Webber) and Alyssa (Casey) stepped up ... I knew these girls had the
heart of a championship. I tell them all the time it's about
preparation, so I took responsibility for that loss on Friday. But I
left it up to them tonight, and I don't think (Chelmsford) got 22 in a half tonight."
Three
Andover points over the first 6:41 of the fourth, however, allowed
Chelmsford to take a 41-39 lead with 1:45 left. A field goal by Jillian
Webber, who scored a game-high 14, with 1:19 remaining set things up for
Dellatto's heroics.
Chelmsford (41): Trish Blumera 3 0-0 7, Claire Markey 3 4-5 10, Amanda March 4 0-0 8, Sara DaSilva 2 1-2 6, Annie Donahue 4 1-2 10, Giulia Rabbito 0 0-0 0. Totals 16 6-9 41
Andover (45): Rachael Cormier 2 4-6 8, Colleen Caveney 2 4-4 9, Jillian Webber 7 0-0 14, Carissa Reming 0 0-0 0, Alyssa Casey4 2-2 10, Talia Dellatto 1 2-2 4. Totals 16 12-14 45
3-pointers: C — Blumera, DaSilva; A — Caveney
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