Lady Eagles pick up Summit Conference win over Gainesville

The Hartville Lady Eagles’ basketball team opened their Summit Conference season last week with a solid 41-27 victory over Gainesville in their home opener.
A 21-point first quarter helped Hartville open the game with a 16-point lead after eight minutes of play.
Maddie Brown scored eight points and Katia Todd added six to help the Lady Eagles take a 21-5 lead.
The offense struggled in the final three quarters as they scored nine points or less the rest of the way.
Sarah Palmer hit a 3-pointer as she scored four of her team’s six points in the second quarter to put the Lady Eagles up 27-11 at halftime.
Brown had six points in the third and Kinley Cryer scored five in the fourth quarter to help the Lady Eagles hold on late for the 14-point victory.
Cryer made two 3-pointers and finished with 13 points; Brown scored 10 points; Palmer added eight points; while Todd finished with six points.
Prior to the Gainesville match-up and a loss to Mountain Grove (see the Lady Panthers’ article), the Lady Eagles finished in fourth place at the Fordland Invitational.
Their lone victory in that tournament was in their season opener when they defeated Dora, 50-38.
Hartville outscored the Lady Falcons, 17-2, in the third quarter before being outscored 13-2 in the final frame of the victory.
Cryer made five 3-pointers and finished the game with 18 points. Brown added 14 points, who was an All-Tournament selection; Palmer had 10 points; Todd scored six points; and Carlyn Cantrell added five points.
In the semifinals, Hartville ran into a tough host Fordland squad and fell 50-24. Brown scored a team-high 17 points; Cryer added six; Todd scored five; Palmer had three points; and Cantrell had two points.
In the third place game, Hartville ran into a Greenwood team that found a rhythm and won the game, 35-24.
The Lady Eagles trailed 22-9 at halftime and never could complete a rally.
Cryer scored 10 points; Brown added nine; Todd had four points; and Palmer scored one point.