Archbishop Ryan (35)
Megan Tole 4 2-2 11; Cara McArdle 0 0-0 0; Lauren Smith 1 0-0 2; Jess Koci 4 4-6 12; Sarah Strybuc 0 1-2 1; Rachel Kelly 0 0-0 0; Lauren Heisse 3 0-0 7; Kelli Jerdan 0 0-0 0; Brittany Wood 0 0-0 0; Amanda Shaw 0 0-0 0; Marissa Perez 0 0-0 0; Jacci Vandiver 1 0-0 2; Colleen Ryan 0 0-0 0; Katharine Reppert 0 0-0 0. Totals: 13 7-10 35.
Archbishop Wood (50)
Jen Maxwell 0 0-0 0; Christine Verrelle 3 0-0 9; Ashley Robinson 8 6-10 22; Sam Greenfield 3 7-9 13; Jenelle Hudson 0 0-0 0; Cait McCartney 1 0-0 2; Tori Arnao 1 0-0 2; Steph Keyes 0 2-4 2; Grace Gallagher 0 0-0 0; Kelly Young 0 0-0 0; Jenna Swope 0 0-0 0; Grace Mirack 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16 15-23 50.
AR: 4-13-9-9—35
AW: 6-18-15-11—50
Three-point goals: Tole, Heisse (AR); Verrelle 3 (AW).
TEN THINGS
1. Archbishop Wood (19-5) led almost the whole way. Wood opened up an eight-point lead, 16-8, midway through the second quarter and led by seven, 24-17, at halftime. Ryan (18-6) was within five points, 26-21, two minutes into the third quarter before Vikings sophomore guard Christine Verrelle hit a 3-pointer that sparked a 13-3 run over about five minutes. Wood's lead didn't get below double digits after that.
2. Wood plays Archbishop Carroll (23-1) in the Catholic League championship game on Feb. 23 at the Palestra at 6:30 p.m. Carroll beat Cardinal O'Hara, 50-42, in the other semifinal. Carroll defeated Wood during the regular season, 55-41, on Dec. 11. Carroll also beat Wood in the 2007 PCL title game in the 2008 semifinals.
3. Senior center Ashley Robinson scored 22 points. She had 14 of Wood's first 16 points over the game's first 13 minutes. Robinson injured a finger on her right hand in the final minutes and had an ice pack on her hand following the game, but insisted she was fine.
4. Verrelle made three 3-pointers for Wood, which struggled from the perimeter. Junior guard Sam Greenfield had 13 points for Wood. “We needed somebody to hit a shot and she hit some big ones,” Wood coach Jim Ricci said. “She’s really composed for a sophomore, very poised.”
5. This was Wood's 11th consecutive appearance in the PCL semifinals. Wood is now 2-9 in those games with the other win coming over O'Hara in 2007. Wood has not won a PCL championship since 1982.
6. “This is big for us to get back to where we were two years ago,” said Robinson, who was a sophomore on the Wood team that lost the 2007 PCL title game to Carroll.
7. “Two times in three years, it’s great,” said Wood coach Jim Ricci about reaching the championship game again. “It’s a very nice thing for the program. The players have worked very hard.”
8. For Ryan, forward Jess Koci scored 12 points and guard Megan Tole added 11 points.
9. Robinson picked up three quick fouls early in the fourth quarter and went to the bench with four personals. At the time, Ryan was down only 11 points and seemed to have momentum. But Wood sophomore center Tori Arnao came in and gave the Vikings some solid minutes. Sophomore Cait McCartney and Arnao scored back-to-back baskets that dashed any Ryan comeback hopes.
10. Wood has won 14 of its last 15 games.
10a. I was surprised by the Carroll win. I expected an O'Hara-Wood final. Wood is going to have to shoot much better from the perimeter to have a good chance to beat Carroll.
10b. Ryan played tough, physical defense against Wood and gave a terrific all-around effort.
