UNION 47, EAST FOREST 41

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Feb. 8, 2008

Golden Damsels claim KSAC-East Title with the victory

MARIENVILLE – The Union girls’ basketball team continues to find ways to collect hardware.

The Golden Damsels (17-7 overall, 14-5 KSAC-East) completed an amazing run to the KSAC-East title Thursday night with a come-from-behind 47-41 win at East Forest. Union, which has won the first two KSAC-East crowns, will go for its fourth straight KSAC title Saturday when it faces Keystone (21-2, 18-1 KSAC-West) in the KSAC Title game at 3 p.m. at Clarion High School. The Golden Damsels defeated the Lady Panthers 46-44 Jan. 4.  

Unlike the previous three titles, this one wasn’t such a sure thing heading into the season for Union, which has lost three of its top eight all-time scorers to graduation in the past two years including two – Tiffany Corle and Bethany Koch – who are playing NCAA Division II basketball and one – Andrea Mortimer – who is playing the D-III level.

To claim the KSAC-East crown, Josh Meeker’s team had to rally from a four-point deficit, 33-29, heading to the fourth quarter at East Forest (12-11, 10-9), a team that had given Union the opportunity to win the crown when it beat then first-place Clarion last Friday.

The Golden Damsels outscored the Lady Bears 18-8 in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback with Torri Smith scoring seven of the 18 on her way to a game-high 20 points. She added eight rebounds.

Nicole Geyer led East Forest with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Ashley Oliver had 11 points and Kelsey Rini 14 rebounds.

East Forest, which has lost twice to Union this season by a combined 10 points, will get a third crack at the Golden Damsels Tuesday in the opening round of the District 9 Class A Playoffs at Union. East Forest is the 12^th seed and Union the fifth seed.