By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
CARLISLE — Sydney Venus’ hard tumble to the floor with 6:03 left to play was one of many hard knocks suffered by Abundant Life seniors during the fourth quarter of the Lady Owls’ 72-57 loss to Hughes in the first round of the 2A-East Regional tournament at Bison Arena in Carlisle on Thursday.
Venus was set up in the lane to take a charge from LadyBlue Devils guard Sharquese Johnson, but the contact with Johnson sent Venus down hard, hitting her head on the floor.
Venus sustained a concussion for her efforts, and to add insult to injury, the Lady Owls were whistled for a reaching foul on the play.
The exits of classmates and post players Savannah Lancaster and Carmyn Sharp minutes later were not as painful, at least physically, as the pair fouled out in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter.
The Lady Owls (19-10) hung with the higher-seeded Lady Blue Devils in the first half. Lady Owls sophomore guard Lauren McClendon scored eight of her 17 points in the second quarter, including a drive in the lane for a jumper with 2:08 left in the first half to make it 33-24 Hughes, and a defensive rebound she took the length of the floor with 44 seconds left to cut the margin to 33-28 following a jumper by Sharp.
Another sophomore, Leah Srebalus, led the Lady Owls with 21 points and seven rebounds, and prevented the Lady Devils from running away late.
Sharp finished with six points and 10 rebounds for the Lady Owls. Junior guard Courtney Waddell added eight points.
