By David Peck

It is said that one of the tests of a good team is how the team bounces back from a tough loss. If so, give the Lovell Lady Bulldogs an A-plus for their effort Saturday against Wyoming Indian in the wake of Friday’s semifinal loss to Big Horn.

Lovell shook off the post-loss blues Saturday morning and defeated the Lady Chiefs 55-46 at Casper College, avenging the previous Saturday night’s loss to the Chiefs in the 3A West Regional title game and giving the Lady Bulldogs a 3-1 record against their longtime foe for the season.

“We didn’t know what to expect Saturday,” coach Bob Geiser said. “We thought whoever wants to be here the most will win. Both teams were coming off a loss. Both teams saw their dreams shattered. We asked the kids are you going to give us the ‘poor me’ routine or are you going to play one more time together this year.”

Wyoming Indian jumped on top 12-5 early as junior Ambrosia Brugh ran the floor hard and converted early turnovers into baskets. But a three-point play by Stephanie Green – jumper and free throw – launched a 9-0 run for the Lady Bulldogs that gave them a 14-12 lead after the first period. Katie Walker sank a three-pointer late in the quarter, and Alyssa Geiser finished the run with a long jumper after a Lovell offensive rebound.

“They came out with more energy than we did,” Geiser said. “But they couldn’t sustain it and we gathered energy. By the middle of the first quarter we were starting to play like we normally do.”

Wyoming Indian tied the score early in the second, then took a 17-14 lead on a Kirsti O’Neal three-pointer from Powder River. Karen Koritnik then led a 9-2 run for Lovell that left the Lady Bulldogs up 23-19. Koritnik hit two free throws, a power put-back, a go-the-distance fast break and a slashing drive on a pass from Geiser. Later, Mykel Anderson’s jumper gave the Lady Bulldogs a 28-23 lead at the half.

O’Neal’s bomb was her only trey of the game, and Geiser praised the work of Green on the Wyoming Indian senior, also noting Koritnik’s defense.

“Stephanie was in her face,” the coach said. “She’s quick enough to guard her outside and tall enough that she’s hard to shoot over. Stephanie had another big game. Big players step up in big games. She’s done it since her sophomore year.”

Alyssa Geiser started the second half with a trey for the Lady Bulldogs. Wyoming Indian twice rallied to within one point at 31-30 and 33-32, but Lovell finished the third quarter with a 9-6 edge to lead 40-36 after three. Erin Roberton had two baskets during the run, Green and Katie Walker one each. Koritnik had two assists.

Lovell pulled out to an eight-point lead, 44-36, early in the fourth period, but a runner by Anneshia Hill and a trey by Ranell Oldman cut the deficit to three with a little more than five minutes left in the game. In the final five minutes, the Lady Bulldogs went to the foul line 12 times, hitting nine free throws. Koritnik was seven of eight during the final stretch as Lovell sealed the 55-46 win.

Lovell finished the game shooting 34 percent from the field, Wyoming Indian 28.6 percent, but the big difference in the game came at the foul line and from beyond the arc. Lovell went to the free-throw line 32 times, hitting 21, while Wyoming Indian was six of 11. Lovell hit two of six three-point attempts, while the Lady Chiefs fired up 23 long bombs, connecting on just four (17.4 percent).

“We took away a lot of their threes,” Geiser said. “We forced them out of their comfort zone. We pushed them out further and made them move their feet.”

Koritnik finished with 15 points, hitting nine of 10 free throws, and six rebounds, Green 13 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double. Robertson added 7 points and seven rebounds, Katie Walker 7 points and six caroms. Anderson had 6 points and five boards.

Lovell out-rebounded Wyoming Indian 51-32.

“It was nice to come away with some hardware at the end of the season,” Geiser said. “Only three teams finish with a win, and it’s nice to be one of them.”

Geiser said the Lady Bulldogs played ranked teams 16 times and won 10 of the 16 games, including three over Wyoming Indian.

“It’s hard for anybody to beat Wyoming Indian once, let alone three times in a year,” he said. “And they were ranked all year. I don’t think Lovell has ever done that.”

The Lady Bulldogs finished the season 22-6, Wyoming Indian 22-5. Saturday’s game was the final contest for seniors Katie Walker, Green, Anderson and Keesha Savage.

The box score:

WYO. INDIAN (46)

Kailyn Washakie 0 0-0 0, Ranell Oldman 4 1-3 12, Anneshia Hill 1 0-0 2, Kristen Washakie 1 0-0 2, Antonia Valdez 2 0-0 4, Kimberly Goggles 0 0-0 0, Jocelyn Underwood 0 0-0 0, Kirsti O’Neal 1 0-0 3, Courtney Smith 5 1-2 11, Ambrosia Brugh 4 4-6 12. Totals 18 6-11 46.

LOVELL (55)

Alyssa Geiser 2 0-0 5, Jodi Walker 0 2-24 2, Katie Walker 2 2-4 7, Leanne Winterholler 0 0-0 0, Karen Koritnik 3 9-10 15, Keesha Savage 0 0-0 0, Susie Shumway 0 0-0 0, Brandi Abraham 0 0-0 0, Stephanie Green 4 5-7 13, Erin Robertson 2 3-7 7, Mirandi Griffis 0 0-0 0, Mykel Anderson 3 0-0 6. Totals 16 21-32 55.

WIHS         12    11    13    10 – 46

Lovell         14    14    12    15 – 55

Three-point field goals – Oldman 3, O’Neal 1; Geiser 1, K. Walker 1. Fouled out – Kristen Washakie. Total fouls – Wyo. Indian 21, Lovell 15.