Bruins Fall to Highlanders on Last Day of Tourney

The may not have walked out of the Cougar Holiday Classic with as many wins as they would have hoped, but they will enter Patriot District play a better team.

"We showed a lot of growth, and we're not making the same mistakes we were making five, six games ago," said Leigh Janis, Bruins head coach. "As a team, we're just gelling a lot better."

The Bruins lost two of three games in the tournament, first to Stone Ridge 37-32 on Wednesday, then to 51-46 on Thursday.

But the Bruins started the tournament with a 54-50 double-overtime win over Loudoun County on Tuesday. In that game, they entered halftime down 32-21, but fought back in the second half to hold the Raiders to six points, tying the game at the end of regulation.

"These girls do not give up," Janis said. "To be down by 11 at half and them come back to win the game was just incredible. This team will tough it out until the end."

In the Bruins game against the Highlanders on Thursday, they jumped out ahead early to end the first period with a 15-8 advantage. But the Highlanders tightened the gap in the second period to enter halftime just two points behind the Bruins.

The Highlanders quickly surpassed the Bruins in the third period and held onto the lead for the rest of the game.

"I thought we battled until the end of the game tonight, but, credit where credit is due, so did they," Janis said.

She's looking forward to facing Patriot District foes because she thinks her young team — no seniors are on the roster — will keep their opponents on their toes.

"We're pesky and we're not going to let teams just get away with it. Even if we go into that fourth quarter down, we're going keep pushing for the win," Janis said. "We're going to fight, fight, fight. And I think it says a lot about what we stand for as a team."

The Bruins will travel to on Tuesday for a 7:30 p.m. game.

Point Scorers: Natalie Butler (23), Argy Kosmakos (7), Marcia Altman (4), Betsy Gallier (4), McKenzie Hunter (4), Haley Strawderman (2), Olivia Tavernier (2)

Day 2 Stats: Lake Braddock 32 vs. Stone Ridge 37

Natalie Butler (10), Olivia Tavernier (6), Nirali Shah (5), Marcia Altman (4), Caitlyn Mandela (4), Argy Kosmakos (3)

Day 1 Stats: Lake Braddock 54 vs. Loudoun County 50 (2OT)

Natalie Butler (18), Marcia Altman (15), Argy Kosmakos (7), Haley Strawderman (5), Courtney Hale (2), McKenzie Hunter (2), Caitlyn Mandela (2), Nirali Shah (2), Christine McGrath (1)