Turnovers and missed shots cost the Shelton girls basketball team on Monday night. Shelton missed too many easy shots and was only 4‑of-12 from the foul line in a 27 – 26 home loss to West Haven.
“Obviously, we didn’t want it as much as West Haven,” said Gaelettes coach Mary Maciulewski.
West Haven raised its record to 2 – 3. Shelton dropped to 0 – 4.
While the Gaelettes struggled on offense and committed 30 turnovers, they played well on defense and came up with 40 steals while forcing 40 Lady Blue Devil turnovers.
Juniors Melissa Corraro (six points, six rebounds, three assists, one blocked shot, six forced turnovers) and Kelly LaRue (five points, six rebounds, one blocked shot, one forced turnover, two tieups) spearheaded Shelton’s defense with nine steals each and their aggressive play forced many turnovers.
“Our defense was there and we worked hard but we have to cut down on our turnovers,” said Maciulewski.
Senior tri-captain Jen Spicer (four rebounds, one assist, six steals, two tieups, two forced turnovers) also ignited the Gaelettes on defense and made things happen.
Shelton trailed most of the night and had one lead in the first half, 7 – 6. The Gaelettes took an 18 – 16 lead with 59.5 seconds remaining in the third quarter when sophomore Bianka Bell (three points, three assists, one forced turnover) swished a three-pointer off an inbounds play.
Although Shelton had a chance to extend its lead, turnovers prevented it from doing so and West Haven tied it 18 – 18 after three quarters.
The Lady Blue Devils scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter and took a 26 – 18 lead with 4:20 remaining in the game. The Gaelettes scored their first points of the quarter when LaRue swished a trey from Corraro with 2:53 left.
Shelton remained alive because Spicer and LaRue tied up West Haven players and Corraro and freshman Megan Burke (three rebounds, one steal one tieup, five forced turnovers) combined to force a turnover, which led to an interception by sophomore Kelsey Pendagast.
Pendagast (eight points, 10 rebounds, five steals, one blocked shot, one tieup) kept the Gaelettes alive with her play inside, scoring on a putback off the offensive glass and hitting a layup off an inbounds pass from Corraro with 43.8 seconds to go to make it 27 – 26.
Senior tri-captain Erin Chuma (two points, four rebounds, two assists, two steals, one blocked shot, two tieups) helped inside as did sophomore Brittany Lampert (three rebounds) and freshman Alyssa Eannotti (two points, eight rebounds, one steal). Junior Melissa Brouillette was aggressive on the perimeter and had a tieup.
West Haven also helped by going 7‑for-17 from the free throw line and was 0 – 4 after Pendagast made it 27 – 26. However, Shelton committed a turnover with 4.8 seconds left and after the Lady Blue Devils missed two free throws, the Gaelettes didn’t have time to set up a play and Bell’s prayer shot trey from way beyond the arc was wide.
“We have to work on our passing and limit our turnovers,” said Maciulewski.
