Purple Eagles edge past Lady Tigers

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 6 March 2021 at 8:23 pm

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Albion’s Aly Knaak, who scored the game winning basket, here looks to pass against Lyndonville defender Lorelei Dillenbeck during the Purple Eagles victory over the host Lady Tigers this evening.

Blanked for the first 6:45 of the fourth quarter, Albion rallied to score three baskets in the final 1:15 to nip host Lyndonville 34-32 this evening in a non league girls basketball game.

A layup by Honesty Little with 1:15 remaining ended Albion’s lengthy drought and knotted the contest at 30-30.

A jumper by Aly Knaak then put the Purple Eagles up 32-30 with 57 seconds to go but the Lady Tigers answered with a layup by Ashley Hughes 10 seconds later to retie the contest for the final time at 32-32.

Albion’s Sydney Mulka puts up a shot against Lyndonville’s Ashlee Stephens.

However, the last basket and the win belonged to Albion as Knaak connected on a baseline jumper with just nine seconds to go to put the Purple Eagles back on top to stay.

Little finished with 13 and Knaak 10 to lead Albion as Sydney Mulka and Abby Scanlan each added 4 and Madison Hughson 3.

Ella Lewis scored a game high 14 and Lorelei Dillenbeck had 11 to pace Lyndonville as Hughes added 3 and Prezli Silversmith and Kaylee Nesbitt 2 each.

Albion jumped out to a 12-6 first quarter lead as Little, Mulka, Knaak and Scanlan all contributed baskets.

Lyndonville though put together a big 15-0 run in the second quarter to rally into a 21-16 lead at the half.

Two threes by Dillenbeck and three free throws by Lewis ignited that uprising which also included layups by Silversmith, Dillenbeck and Lewis.

Albion rebounded with a 12-6 scoring edge in the third period including six by Little to regain a 28-27 lead.

Lyndonville did regain the lead at 30-28 on a three by Dillenbeck to open the decisive final period but the Lady Tigers could manage only two more points the rest of the way as Albion rallied in the final 1:15 to claim the win.

Lyndonville closes the season with a 2-9 record.

Albion, which is now 5-6, will return to Niagara-Orleans League action on Tuesday with a game at rival Medina.

Lyndonville’s Ella Lewis drives to the basket as Honesty Little comes in to defend for Albion.