Girls Basketball Steals Away Central’s Senior Night
Louisville 44, Central Catholic 37
The Louisville Lady Leopards recorded 15 steals during their 44-37 victory over the host Canton Central Catholic Crusaders in Wednesday’s regular season finale. With the victory, Louisville finishes the regular season with an overall record of 13-9.
Emily Hollifield and Sarah Lairson each scored a game-high 11 points to lead the Lady Leopards. Abby Beaver also dropped in 10 points & dished out a game-high 5 assists and Sabryna Benzel scored 9 points & had a team-high 11 rebounds.
Neither team reached double digits until midway through the second quarter as the two squads played 
to a 13-13 stalemate at the half. The pace picked up out of the locker room and Louisville doubled their point total less than four minutes later. The Leopards would increase their lead to double digits at 32-22 with 2:56 remaining in the third after that.
The Crusaders rallied back via a 13-3 run and Katie Farey’s fast break score knotted the game at 35-35 with 2:55 left in the contest. Farey would finish with 8 points for the game, while teammate Sarah Miller led Central with a game-high 11 points and a game-high 13 boards.
On the Crusaders next possession, Hollifield picked off a pass and took it to the hoop to put Louisville ahead 37-35. Then on the next Leopards possession, Beaver saved her best assist for last with a behind the back pass to a wide open Benzel for two to put the Lady Leps up 40-37. Beaver and Hollifield would both finish with a game-high 4 steals a piece and Grace Jackson also had 3 steals and 9 rebounds.
Lairson and then Beaver would hit a pair of free throws to seal the deal for Louisville after that. With the win, the Lady Leopards have defeated the Lady Crusaders in 5 of their past 6 meetings and have won their last 5 games playing at Central overall. Louisville still trails the all-time series 18-21 and is 8-9 on the road all-time in the series.
The Lady Leopards are riding high after closing the regular season with four straight wins. If chalk holds, Louisville will play at New Philadelphia in the Sectional Finals on February 26. The Quakers finished the regular season with a record of 21-1. Their only loss came at Central Catholic in overtime 50-44 on February 12.
UP NEXT: The Lady Leopards will next play the winner of Massillon Vs. New Philadelphia on Thursday, February 26 at 7:00 PM in the DI Akron Sectional Finals. If Massillon wins it will be home and if New Philadelphia wins it will be a road game at New Philadelphia.
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