OTTAWA – Loyola Chicago signee Brooklyn Vaughn’s strip of an attempted drive by OG’s Karsyn Erford in the closing seconds Saturday afternoon proved to be the one stop the Central Catholic Fighting Irish needed most as they held on to a 56-55 road victory.
Just over a minute before the final stop of Erford, the senior All-Ohioan Vaughn connected on the last of her 16 points to push the Irish into the lead.
Ottawa Glandorf jumped out to an early 14-9 lead at the end of the first on the back of their sophomore standout Erford who scored six of her game high tying 20 points in the period. OG continued to increase their lead in the first half of the second stanza on the back of Erford, Katie Kaufman, and Carlie Brinkman.
Leading 24-11 with 4:16 in the second however the scoring well dried up for the Titans as TCC raced up and down the court to tie the game at 24-24 as part of a 15-0 run that would see the Irish push ahead 26-24 at the buzzer on a layup from Sophia Farrugia.
Ava Pietras broke a 26-26 tie in the third with 6:36 on the scoreboard as she unleased one of her four makes from beyond the arc, a deep left wing triple over a pair of defenders for the lead.
Battling with Vaughn in the post, OG’s Kaufman connected for three baskets and a trio of free throws in the games penultimate quarter to twice tie or give the Titans an advantage. On the night Kaufman would finish with a career high tying 20 points for the second time in the last three outings.
Erford and Kaufman scored 10 of the 14 points for the blue and gold in the last eight minutes but were joined by junior Kaitlin Kimmet who ultimately tied the contest with 1:35 to go at 53-53 to answer a three pointer from Pietras on the opposite end of the floor.
“I thought Katie and Karsyn played really well and there were positives we can build off of” said Ottawa Glandorf head coach Troy Yant.
Toledo Central Catholic (10-5) was led by three in double figures as Vaughn finished with 16, Corniya Clay, and Ava Pietras each ended with 12. Next up for the Irish is a visit from Perrysburg on Monday.
OG (16-2) will be off until Thursday when they travel to Celina for a Western Buckeye League contest with the Bulldogs.
Scoring:
OG (55):
Karsyn Erford 20
Carlie Brinkman 5
Katie Kaufman 20
Myka Aldrich 2
Kaitlyn Kimmet 8
FT: 8/13
3PT: 1 (Erford)
TCC (56):
Sophia Farrugia 6
Corniya Clay 12
Nina Stevens 5
Serinity Bolden 5
Ava Pietras 12
Brooklyn Vaughn 16
FT: 3/7
3PT: 6 (Pietras 4, Stevens, Bolden)
JV: OG 42-26