Lady Tigers win OT thriller in D1 semifinals

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Lyndonville’s Isabella Groves puts up a shot as Kylee Ellsworth defends for Fillmore during the Lady Tigers exciting sectional semifinal overtime win over the Lady Eagles this evening at LeRoy.

In an overtime thriller, No. 3 seed Lyndonville nipped No. 2 Fillmore 43-42 at LeRoy this evening in the Section V Class D1 semifinals.

Lyndonville forced the contest into overtime as a basket by Ashlee Stephens knotted the score at 37-37 with 50 seconds to go in regulation time.

The Lady Tigers then regained the lead for good at 42-37 on a three and a two by Isabella Groves to open the overtime period.

Fillmore cut the deficit to 42-40 after three free throws by Amelia Rose but Lyndonville answered back with a free throw by Addison Dillenbeck for what proved to be the game winning point.

Lyndonville’s Haley Shaffer looks to pass as Fillmore’s Rachel Hatch tries to knock the ball away.

Fillmore pulled back to within one at 43-42 after a basket by Hope Russell. However, the Lady Eagles could not pull even or regain the lead as several shots missed in the final seconds as the Lady Tigers escaped with the narrow victory and a trip to the finals.

Stephens and Addison Dillenbeck both finished with 13 for Lyndonville as Groves and Lorelei Dillenbeck each had 7, Shelby Boring 2 and Haley Shaffer one.

Russell finished with a game high 21 and Rose 11 for Fillmore.

Lyndonville grabbed a slender 11-9 lead at the end of the first period as Addison Dillenbeck had 5 and Stephens 4 in the early going.

The Lady Tigers maintained a narrow 23-20 advantage at the half as Stephens and Lorelei Dillenbeck both had 5 in the second quarter.

Lyndonville then opened up a 10 point, 32-22, advantage late in the third period after buckets by Addison Dillenbeck, Groves, Stephens and Lorelei Dillenbeck but the big lead did not hold up.

Fillmore got right back in the game by closing the period with a key 7-0 run, 5 by Russell, to slice the Lyndonville lead to three, 32-29, at the three-quarter mark.

The lead changed hands three times in the tense fourth quarter.

Fillmore went up 37-35 on a basket by Rachel Hatch but Lyndonville answered the challenge as a bucket by Stephens knotted the contest at 37-37. That ended up sending the contest into a four minute overtime period as both sides missed scoring opportunities over the final hectic 50 seconds.

The Lady Tigers then made a three and a two by Groves and a free throw by Addison Dillenbeck be just enough scoring in the overtime period to claim the win.

Lyndonville now advances to Friday’s Class D1 championship game at 8 p.m. at Letchworth against  No. 1 Keshequa  which defeated No. 4 Genesee Valley/Belfast 44-23 in the other semifinal.

It will be just the Lady Tigers second ever appearance in the sectional finals. The first game during the 1995-96 season when Wheatland-Chili edged Lyndonville 46-38.

Ashlee Stephens goes up for a shot for Lyndonville as Preslee Miller defends for Fillmore.