The Marion High School girls basketball team took its second loss of the season, 65-61 at the hands of the Moundridge Wildcats Friday in Marion.
Spencer Suderman led the way for Moundridge, scoring 23 points and knocking down five of eight 3-point shots?but Wildcats forward Katie Vogts? scoring line traced the path her team took to victory more closely.
Vogts scored four points on 2-for-7 shooting from the field, but also took 14 free throws?and made 12?to finish with 16.
Powered by all those free throws, Moundridge outscored the Warriors 21-19 in the fourth quarter, even as Marion limited the visiting shooters to just 31 percent in the second half.
It was Suderman?s story in the first quarter, as Moundridge unleashed a 19-point rally and led by three at halftime on the strength of 13-for-25 from the field.
The Wildcats shot just two free throws before the intermission.
Marion seized momentum in the middle quarters, whittling a 19-13 deficit down to 31-28 at halftime.
Marion dialed up more pressure in the third quarter and cut the Wildcats advantage to 44-42 entering the fourth.
But while the Warriors slowed the Moundridge offense throughout the second half, the Wildcats combined to make 24 of 26 foul shots to thwart the Warriors rally.
?It came down to who had the lead at the end,? coach Randy Savage said. ?It was a hard-fought game, but they had the lead down the stretch and we had to foul.?
With 10 points, Taylor Schrag also reached double-digits for Moundridge (5-0).
Julia Zeiner scored 31 points?11 on free throws?and Lindsay Hett scored 15 for Marion.
The Warriors (2-2) return to the hardwood Jan. 6 at Ellinwood.
