Box Score
In a game which saw both schools answer each other's runs throughout the night, it was Rochester that came away with a 50-45 victory over Lourdes on Wednesday evening at Oakland Christian High School in Auburn Hills, Mich.
 
The Gray Wolves were within one in the final minute, but were unable to tie or take the lead.
 
“We left everything on the floor tonight,” head coach Zareth Gray said.  “That's the effort I've been asking four over the last few games and they gave it to us tonight.”
 
Lourdes got off to a slow start, committing six turnovers in the first six minutes while falling behind 10-2.  The Gray Wolves answered with seven straight points thought, pulling to within one on a Tarynn Hampton (Saint Louis, Mo./Alton H.S.) jumper with 12:38 to play in the opening stanza.
 
Rochester answered with seven straight points of its own to rebuild a 17-9 lead.  Again the Gray Wolves fought back, tying the game on a Lauren Tilden (Ravenna, Ohio/Ravenna H.S.) triple.  An Emily Orsini (Akron, Ohio/Archbishop Hoban H.S.) steal on the next possession, one of three swipes for her in the first half, allowed her to feed Tilden ahead on the break to give Lourdes a 19-17 lead with 4:57 remaining.
 
Again the Warriors answered with a run of their own, this time a 7-0 spurt, to retake the lead.  Ty Ali (Chicago, Ill./Rich South H.S.) pulled Lourdes within one, 26-25, at the break though with a three-pointer in the closing seconds of the first half.
 
The Warriors started the second half scoring the first 10 points to build a 36-25 advantage over the first six-and-a-half minutes.  Lourdes answered with a 14-2 run of its own, taking a 39-38 lead on a pair of free throws by Ali with eight minutes to go in the game.
 
The Gray Wolves would go cold from the floor though, not scoring a field goal for more than five-and-a-half minutes, as Rochester scored seven straight to take a six-point lead.
 
Again Lourdes answered, cutting the deficit to 46-45 with 1:44 to play on a pair of free throws by Orsini.  The defense then forced a pair of turnovers, but the Gray Wolves could not connect, missing five shots down the stretch.  Rochester made four free throws in the final 21.2 seconds to secure the win.
 
Hampton led Lourdes with a double-double, scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, while Ali added 11 points.  Orsini tallied 10 points and added five steals for the Gray Wolves as Lourdes shot just 19% from the field in the second half.
 
Sam Tomaschko led Rochester (6-7) with 11 points and eight boards and the Warriors forced 22 Gray Wolf turnovers.
 
“Defensively I think we did a good job tonight, but we need to learn to limit the second shots,” Gray added.  “We need to learn to play to win and finish off games.”
 
Lourdes (3-11) will now have 11 days off for the Christmas holiday before returning to the court on Sunday, Dec. 30, as the Gray Wolves face NCAA Division II Slippery Rock.  Tip-off is slated for 1 p.m. in Slippery Rock, Pa.