Second Quarter Sinks Cards in WCAC first round, 52-36

Sophomore Cecilia Leone (23) scored 7 in the WCAC tourney action at Bishop O'Connell.

Shorthanded against diocesan rival, Bishop O’Connell, in the first round of the WCAC playoffs, Bishop Ireton hung tough through one quarter before the Knights ouscored the visitors 17-7 in the second to cruise to their third win over Ireton in the 2012-13 season, sidelining the redbirds from the playoffs Thursday night in Arlington. It was the second meeting of the teams in less than a week and this time there was little doubt after a 5-point decision in Alexandria the previous Friday.

Trailing only 10-8 after one period, the Cardinals without senior post player, Julia O’Brien, had trouble with the inside game and O’Connell took advantage of opportunity to go into the locker room with a 25-17 lead. The Knights would add 8 more to the lead during the third quarter took push the margin to 37-23. Ireton had their best quarter in the game’s final period, scoring 13 in the fourth after scoring only 13 in the second and third combined.

Ten Knights got their names in the scorebook with Tori Morris and Ireton’s Mara Celis-Copelotti each scoring 10 points. DJO’s Janiya Clemmons, Gillian Gerton, and the Cardinals’ sophomore Alex Stipano scored 8, and Camille Weber and Cece Leone added 7 for Ireton.

The win sends O’Connell (9-17, 4-14) to the tournament’s quarterfinal date with top seeded St Johns’ while Ireton will await the final VISAA poll to see if and where the Cardinals (10-18, 2-16) could play in the state division I girls’ playoffs. Currently, the Knights were the 9th seed, Ireton the 10th seed.