Lady Trojans fall to Mullan in nail-biter

The Mullan Lady Tigers narrowly came away with a 33-27 win against the Lady Trojans on Jan. 20.

With neither team boasting a senior on the roster, the game quickly became a showcase of young talent, perseverance and resourcefulness. In the final minutes of the second quarter, the Lady Tigers fielded a four-woman squad after an injury temporarily sidelined the team’s fifth player. They wrapped up the game in similar fashion owing to fouls.

The Lady Trojans played a strong first half, relying on heir full court zone press. Several Mullan turnovers were converted into points for Troy.

With 2:25 left in the game, the score was tied 27-27. The Lady Tigers converted the front ends of bonus free throws to take the lead for good at the 1:40 mark.

Troy coach Cynthia Franke said her team struggled to take advantage of scoring opportunities. For example, the Lady Trojans went three for 10 at the free throw line.

If there’s a silver lining, it’s that the Lady Trojans are still working toward reaching their full potential, she said.

“The Lady Tigers are a young, rebuilding and improving team,” Franke said following the loss.

Elaine Folkerts led the Lady Trojans in scoring, netting 12 points. Teammate Leslie Gravier racked up eight points while Isabelle Tunison came away with six. For Mullan, Leah Frazier stood out as the leading scorer with 13 points.