ERWIN, TENN. – Junior Kayla Marosites went for 21 points and the Lady Cyclones made 14 shots from behind the 3-point arc during the night to score a 73-36 win over Unicoi County Saturday in the Devils Den.
The win moves Elizabethton to a spotless 19-0 record overall and 7-0 inside the Three Rivers Conference. Saturday night also marked the team’s 39th straight victory, combined with last year.
Unicoi County (11-10, TRC 5-3) made things interesting in the early going, holding the Lady Cyclones scoreless in the first four minutes of the game.
Elizabethton got a spark from senior Emily Kiser on the defensive side of the ball during the frame and also 3-pointer that led her team to a 7-3 run to end the quarter on top 12-8.
The pedal was to the metal in the second thanks to a 16-2 run in the first six minutes.
Haley Burleson, Kelci Marosites and Melenda Perry each drilled a 3-pointer during the frame.
The long-ball was spread among the squad. Ke. Marosites finished the night in double figures with 17 points – 15 coming from five 3-pointers. Sister, Kayla, knocked down four. Kiser added three while Burleson and Perry had one apiece
“I’m just so happy for the girls,” Elizabethton head coach Len Dugger said. “Everything that is accomplished is all about them.”
Eight Lady Cyclones reached the scoring column during the victory with Kiser and Sarah Robinson scoring nine points apiece. Perry finished with seven, Burleson tacked on five while Megan Pietrowski and Brittney Campbell knocked in three and two, respectively.
Morgan Lee Brown led the Lady Blue Devils with 12 points, all on 3’s. Haley Webb tallied in eight and Hannah Rice added seven to lead the scoring for their squad.
Kiser finished with a team-high five steals from a stingy press defense by Elizabethton.
“I thought our press was the difference maker,” Dugger said. “Most nights it is for us. We don’t press to steal, but if we do it the right way, we can get our fair share of turnovers. It is a good offense for us. It gives us extra opportunites to score … I thought our girls really gritted it out and got after it on defense tonight.”
Perry, Robinson, Ke. and Ka. Marosites also combined to force 12 turnovers for Elizabethton.
AUDIO
Elizabethton Head Coach Len Dugger
Elizabethton’s Kelci Marosites
AROUND THE COURT
The Lady Cyclones 39th victory snaps a locally held record, passing Science Hill’s 38 wins set in 2012 … Unicoi County Lady Blue Devil Destinie Hayes was honored postgame for eclipsing the 1,000th rebound plateau during the Johnson City Honda Classic held in December and is the all-time leader for rebounds at Unicoi County … a win Tuesday over East will clinch the No. 1 spot for the upcoming district tournament for the Lady Cyclones
UP NEXT
Tuesday, Jan. 20 – Elizabethton at Sullivan East
Friday, Jan. 23 – Sullivan East at Unicoi County
(Photo Gallery By Adam Campbell | adamcphotography.com)
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