For The Dialog
MILLTOWN – Tenth-ranked Padua started strong and never looked back in a 60-34 win over St. Mark’s on Jan. 15. The Pandas, who have won six of their last seven, received scoring from 12 different players.
Padua jumped out to an early 7-0 lead as Michelle Kozicki scored on a layup, followed by a Paige Kenton basket. Angel Lorang got the Spartans on the board, but the Pandas responded as Tess McMenamin drilled a three-pointer, followed by field goals from Kenton and Kozicki. At the end of one, Padua led, 13-3.
The Pandas’ offense exploded in the second quarter as six different players scored. Syd Jones hit a couple of early baskets, followed by Cam Scully and Brooke Emmi. St. Mark’s did get their opponents in foul trouble, but the Spartans made just five of 10 from the line. Padua got a fortunate bounce as the half ended. A blocked shot fell into Kozicki’s hands, and she banked in a three-pointer to make it 34-11 at the break.
The Spartans opened the second half on a 9-0 run behind two buckets from Kayla Wolff and a jump shot by Kendra Schweizer. Padua rebounded, however, as Haley Scott nailed a three after a Kozicki layup. The score was 46-25 after three.
Padua added 14 more points in the fourth quarter from five players as they improved to 8-4. Kozicki led the way with 19 points, while Scott added seven, all in the second half. They are off until Saturday, when they host Newark Charter at 12:30 p.m.
Lorang led the Spartans (7-2) with 10, while Wolff contributed seven. St. Mark’s travels to St. Elizabeth on Thursday night for a 7:15 p.m. tip.
