By DAN BARILE
Eagle Times Correspondent
CHESTER, Vt. — Holding a 17-point lead with less than three minutes remaining until halftime, the Springfield Cosmos appeared to be well on their way to a season opening victory against Green Mountain.
However, Green Mountain refused to allow Springfield to run away with the contest, clawing back to take a one-point lead near the end of the third quarter.
Despite Green Mountain’s tenacious comeback effort, it was Springfield who would dominate the action in the final frame to come away with a 46-31 victory and advance to the championship game of the Green Mountain Holiday Tournament.
Senior sensation Macie Stagner got the Cosmos off to a strong start, scoring nine points in the opening frame as Springfield raced out to a 14-7 advantage.
Stagner continued to have the hot hand in the second quarter, tallying an additional 10 points as Springfield extended its lead to 27-10. Despite the deficit, Green Mountain kept battling until halftime as Sophia Cherubini converted a layup with less than 30 seconds remaining, and Ainsley Merrill drained a shot from behind the arc at the buzzer to bring the hosts to within 12.
As Green Mountain chipped away at Springfield’s lead in the third quarter, the crowd came alive as they chanted “Defense!” in unison for several possessions. Fittingly, it was Green Mountain’s defense that was the catalyst for their first lead of the night, as they scored off turnovers on back-to-back possessions to take a 31-30 lead with 1:18 remaining.
Unfortunately for Green Mountain, it was Cosmos defense that would dominate the rest of the way, holding the hosts scoreless over the final nine minutes and 18 seconds of the contest. Meadow Murchie was a menace for the Cosmos in the fourth quarter, scoring eight points and wreaking havoc defensively.
Macie Stagner paced Springfield with 26 points and Meadow Murchie followed with 12. Sophia Cherubini was Green Mountain’s top scorer with nine points, Ainsley Merrill and Kaylee DeBartolo added seven apiece, and Kyra Burbela was next with six.
