Despite Strong Defensive Effort, Saline Falls to Novi

Defensively, the Lady Hornets volleyball team is doing just about everything coach Jeff Waltz could ask. But for much of ’s 45-30 loss to Novi Thursday night, the Hornets just couldn’t generate any offense.

For the second straight outing, Saline (0-2) gave the hometown faithful reason for optimism in the second quarter. Down 17-7 midway through the period, Saline went on a 14-2 run and after Katie Crysler’s buzzer beater, Saline led 21-19 at halftime.

But Novi sophomore Kerry McMahan took over in the third quarter, scoring six straight points to break a 21-21 tie and give Novi the lead for good.

Saline was led by Britten Clark, who scored 15 points. McMahan scored 26 for Novi.

“Novi is another good team. This was a good test for us. I though we had periods where we played exceptionally well,” said Waltz. “Defensively, the girls were outstanding in the first half. We’re just going to have to take the positive things away from these last two games and build on them.”

For the second straight game, Saline went the entire first quarter without a basket from the field. The Hornets got two points from Clark and three points from Amada Price from the charity stripe. Defensively, however, Saline kept Novi in check, giving up a single field goal and seven points from the free throw.

Early in the second quarter, it looked like the game might slip away from Saline. Novi got a basket from Anna Lausch and two from McMahon and led 15-5. After Price sank two free throws and McMahon made a layup, Novi led 17-7 with 4:07 to play in the second quarter.

At that point Clark took over. She went began charging to the net and drawing fouls from Novi. Saline went on a 14-2 run thanks to Clark’s 10-for-10 shooting from the stripe. Katie Crysler also had two layups, including on 15-footer at the buzzer that gave Saline a 21-19 lead at halftime.

Saline’s defense was stalwart in the first half. Price was a force under the net, blocking three shots.

The Hornets went cold in the second quarter, unable to adjust to Novi’s box-plus-one defense. Still, Saline’s defense remained tough as nails.

Neither team scored until 3:42 in the quarter, when Kristen Schubring sank the first of two free throws. The second was rebounded by the Wildcats, who went back to the free throw line after another foul. Schubring sank one-of-two to tie the score at 21. That’s when McMahon took over. She made a layup to give the Wildcats the lead. Then she ended two straight Saline possessions with steals, scoring layups on both as Novi took a 27-21 lead. Schubring put back an offensive board and then McMahon sank two free throws for Novi.

Clark scored Saline’s lone point of the quarter with a free throw in the final minute. Novi led 31-22 into the fourth

Crysler and Price each scored six points for Saline. Caitlin Ellis added three points for the Hornets. Lausch chipped in with six points for Novi.