Senior Alex Stipano had a game high 26 for Ireton against Bishop O’Connell Tuesday in Alexandria.
The matchup with rival Bishop O’Connell is always a physical, closely contested ballgame and Tuesday was no exception with the visiting Knights pulling away for a 61-51 win in Godley Gymnasium.
Bishop Ireton started strong, the area’s leading three-point shooter, senior Alex Stipano, draining her first three shots from beyond the arc and the clubs were knotted at 17-17 after one period of play.
The pace slowed in the second, with the Cardinals building a 4-point advantage heading in the the locker room, 29-25, thanks in part to another Stipano three as the period closed.
Bishop O’Connell came out of the locker room and forced three consecutive turnovers to quickly even the contest at 29-29 on their way to a 9-0 run that forced Ireton to regroup after a timeout.
The redbirds responded immediately with a 5-0 run of their own to tie the game once again. The game sat at 41-39 as the teams moved into the final quarter of action.
The Knights slowly pulled away, gaining a 52-46 margin with two minutes remaining. The Cardinals picked up a more desperate style of play, but O’Connell converted the resulting trips to the foul line and pulled away for the WCAC win.
Ireton’s Alex Stipano led all scorer’s with 26, Danielle Hatchett added 8 and CeCe Leone chipped in 6. Jasmine Taylor led three Knights who scored in double figures with 16 while Janiya Clemmons had 12 and Katie Meckus 11.
The Cardinals (6-3, 1-2) host top-ranked Paul VI on Friday at Godley Gymnasium.
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