HANCEVILLE – After falling just one game shy of advancing to Birmingham last season, the Cold Springs Lady Eagles were in that same situation on Monday as they faced off against Phil Campbell. For the second straight year, their season ended just short of the Final Four. The Lady Eagles lost 46-29, finishing the season at 20-13.
Turnovers plagued the Lady Eagles to start off the game as they finished with six for the quarter, but they kept the game close behind four points by Elizabeth Hill and a trey by Camryn Crider; the Lady Bobcats' Kallie Allen put up six in the quarter herself, and the Lady Eagles trailed 10-7 after one.
The Lady Eagles' defense stepped up in the second quarter as they kept their offense in the game, but they couldn't capitalize at the free-throw line, going 3-of-8 in the period from there and 3-of-10 in the first half.
Hill went down hard on her left arm with 1:15 remaining in the first half; she toughed it out for a little bit but had to leave the game a few seconds later.
Despite shooting just 30 percent from the field, the Lady Eagles went into the locker room trailing by just five at 20-15.
The third quarter was all Phil Campbell as Darby Elliott, along with Allen, combined for 13 of the Lady Bobcats' 15 points in the period; Allen finished with 20 points and Elliott finished with 13. The Lady Eagles were held to just five points in the period and they went into the third period trailing, 35-20.
Despite their best efforts in the final period and a gutsy effort by Hill, the Lady Eagles couldn't quite get a run going and their season came to an end with the 46-29 loss to the Lady Bobcats.
Crider finished with 11 points, four rebounds and a steal for Cold Springs, which finished the game shooting 29 percent from the field and just 5-of-19 (26 percent) from the charity stripe. Hill ended up with nine points, two boards, one assist, two blocks and three steals. Prisca McAnnally ended up with five points and a steal in her final game in a Lady Eagle uniform, along with Zoe Strawbridge, who added three points, an assist and two steals. Toni West finished with one point and three boards.
Cold Springs overcame a lot this season, from injuries to illness, and will look to make another deep run next season with almost its whole roster coming back, including Neely Ellison, who is recovering from knee surgery.
Crider and Hill were named to the All-Tournament team.
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