POLAND ESCAPES THRILLER IN CHAMPION

The start of the new season for the Poland Lady Bulldogs looks very similar to the start last season when they won by two at Salem. This time around they escaped Champion with a 52-49 win.

The Bulldogs had to deal with a very slow offensive start. Plagued by turnovers Poland couldn’t find a rhythm in the beginning stages of the game. However Jackie Grisdale and Brooke Bobbey both covered up the miscues with three pointers. Poland’s shut down defense didn’t miss a beat, holding down Champion while their offense worked things out. Poland trailed 12-10 after one quarter.

Poland opened the second quarter with a 9-0 rally and it looked like they were going to run away with the game. The Flashes fought back though, answering with a 6-2 run as the half dwindled down. Bobbey hit her second three of the game before the halftime buzzer to give the Bulldogs some breathing room heading into the locker room with a 24-18 lead.

Champion outscored the Bulldogs 16-10 in the third quarter helped out tremendously by the work of Emma Gumont down low. After three the game was tied 34-34 and it promised to be an exciting finish.

After the teams traded points back and forth for the first couple minutes of the fourth, the perimeter game came in to effect for Poland. Grisdale and Bobbey both hit threes late to give Poland breathing room. With a 46-40 lead the Bulldogs found themselves in a position to win the game at the foul line. They struggled though to knock down free throws down the stretch which gave Champion the opportunity to inch closer and closer. The Bulldogs went to the line leading by 2 with about 10 seconds left. They hit one out of two to make it 52-49, but it also gave Champion a last shot opportunity. Grisdale stole the ball away to deny them that chance and Poland escaped with a 52-49 win.

Jackie Grisdale led the way with a strong 26 point performance going 4/8 from three. Brooke Bobbey also finished in double figures with 12.

Poland stays on the road traveling to Struthers on Thursday night.