KEWANEE –– After opening up the MLK tournament with a win over Orion Friday at the Kewanee Armory, the Boiler Girls dropped its final three games – including two on Monday – to finish 4th out of five teams.
Kewanee dropped its first game of the day Monday to Mundelein 58-40. Mitrese Smith and Gracey Damron each scored a dozen for the Boiler Girls.
Heading into the final game of the tournament, Geneseo already had first place wrapped up. Once the ball went up, the Lady Leafs looked like anything but a team that had nothing to play for.
The Geneseo defense stifled the Boiler Girls, and they handled Kewanee 59-35.
Geneseo finished with a perfect 4-0 to win first place. Peoria Manual was second, followed by Mundelein, Kewanee and Orion.
Geneseo and Kewanee were tied at 2 apiece in the early going, and that would be the only tie of the game. Geneseo scored the next seven from there and never looked back.
The Boiler Girls offensive struggles were a result of the Lady Leaf’s full-court pressure. Kewanee turned the ball over six times in the first quarter, while making just 2 of its 10 shot attempts and trailed 16-7 after eight minutes.
Mitrese Smith did everything in her power to keep Kewanee afloat in the second period. The senior scored 11 of Kewanee’s 13 points in the quarter, but the Boiler Girls went into the half down 33-20.
Geneseo held Kewanee without a field goal for nearly the entire third quarter.
A Gracey Damron floater in the final seconds was Kewanee’s only field goal in the period.
They added four made free throws, but had more turnovers (8) than points (6) in the frame.
Kewanee’s defense only surrendered 10 points in the period and trailed 43-26 heading into the fourth quarter.
The closest Kewanee could get in the final quarter was 14, but an 8-0 Lady Leafs run sealed the game.
Anna McAvoy paced Geneseo with 14 points. The Lady Leafs had five players with between six and nine points, and nine players in total scored.
Kewanee’s Smith and Gracey Damron were named to the All-Tournament team.
The Boiler Girls are now 11-12 on the season.