Cardinals hang tough before falling at Good Counsel

Senior Danielle Hatchett had 8 points in the Cardinals setback at Good Counsel.

Senior Danielle Hatchett had 6 points in the Cardinals setback at Good Counsel.

Bishop Ireton’s girls basketball team got off to a fast start, snatching a 12-8 lead after one quarter against first place Good Counsel before the Falcons regrouped and pulled away to a 62-45 WCAC win in Olney Tuesday.

Led by senior guard Alex Stipano’s 20 points, Ireton used an up tempo transition game to quickly grab a lead on the bigger, more physical Falcons. The home team regrouped after that 8-point quarter, however, and outscored Ireton 19-8 in second to go to halftime with a 27-29 spread.

The third quarter was another struggle for the visiting Cardinals, with the Falcons patiently running their half court offense while slowing Ireton down, where the experienced Olney squad stalled Ireton in a 16-6 session. The offenses were cranked up in the final quarter with 38 points going on the scoreboard, 19 by each squad, but the damage had been done.

Junior Michelle Montgomery added 11 for the redbirds, CeCe Leone had 8 and Danielle Hatchett 6, while Good Counsel saw three players in double figures, led by Nicole Enabosi with 16.

Bishop Ireton falls to 11-8 on the year and heads to Harewood Road in DC and the start of the second half of the WCAC campaign on Friday when they go for a season sweep of the Lions of Archbishop Carroll. The varsity-only affair tips off at 6pm.