Pioneer Comeback Extends Saline Slump

The varsity basketball team is playing like a team that forgot how to win. Perhaps it's not surprising, because the Lady Hornets haven't won since an emotional 46-23 win against Tecumseh.

With Tuesday's 39-29 loss to Ann Arbor Pioneer, Saline has lost six straight.

Emily Turner scored nine points and Desiree Cougill and Janese Honeycutt each added eight points. Alexus Pace-Patterson broke open a tight game with a three-point basket and another long field goal midway through the fourth quarter.

Saline was led Britten Clark, who scored 10 points. Caitlin Ellis added eight points. Randi Bennett chipped in with four points.

The Hornets looked good early, jumping to a 14-9 lead after the first quarter. Although the offense dried up, Saline managed to build a 24-16 lead midway through the third quarter. But Pioneer dominated the final 12 minutes of the game, outscoring Saline 23-5.

It was a disappointing loss to Saline head coach Jeff Waltz, who was upbeat after watching his team battle during a hard-fought loss to Saginaw Arthur Hill Saturday.

"Saturday was the best we played all year and I told (the team), 'Come out with the energy we played with on Saturday, and we'll win. Come out with anything less than that, and there is a good chance we won't,"" Waltz said. "Pioneer slowed us down and forced us into turnovers. Those are situations we handled really well Saturday."

Saline opened scoring with a layup from Melissa Needham. After a trey from Honeycutt, Clark scored a couple baskets and Ellis had a layup for an 8-3 lead.Clark, Ellis and Bennett had buckets for Saline as the Hornets carried a 14-9 lead into the second quarter.

Baskets were at a premium in the second quarter. Pioneer closed the cap with a trey from Turner and a layup from Cougill. Saline's defense shut down the Pioneers for the final 6:31 of the half and regained the lead with two free throw baskets from Ellis and a layup by Clark.

The third quarter began with Ellis and Ana Vereen trading baskets. Price set up Clark for a layup and then Clark set up Katie Crysler for a basket as Saline led 24-16 midway through the quarter.

Right about then, Saline's shooters went ice cold as the Pioneers picked up the pace. Cougill and Turner scored to cut the lead to four. Bennett sank a 12-foot shot to give Saline a 26-20 lead with 1:56 to play in the quarter, but the Pioneers closed out the period with baskets from Honeycutt, Brianna Worthing and Turner, to tie the game at 26.

The Pioneers opened the fourth with a basket by Honeycutt for their first lead since the second minute of the game. Saline's Alison Rentschler tied it up with break to the hoop.

Pioneer took a one-point lead on a free throw. Pace-Patterson delivered the backbreaking blows with a three-pointer from the right corner and then a long two-point basket from the left corner in the span of 40 seconds. The six-point lead seemed to suck all of the life out of the Hornets.

"It's all about learning how to win. I didn't feel like today's result was for a lack of execution. But we need heart. We need energy and 100 percent focus for four quarters," Waltz said. "We're trying to develop mental toughness. We're looking for the person who, when we're tied or down by two, who says, "i'm not going to lose. I'm going to put the team on my back. We're sucking it up and we're going to go win the game.' We're still searching for that identity."

Waltz remains confident the Hornets will find it.

"I believe in this team. We need to remain positive and come out with 100 percent effort," he said.

The Hornets are home to Skyline Friday.