Bulldogs hound Pirates

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Notre Dame combined its defensive pressure with Perryville's opening-game rust to post a decisive victory Thursday.

The Bulldogs limited the Pirates to four points in the opening half on their way to a 60-19 win in girls basketball action.

"We've been practicing a lot at our practices on defense," Notre Dame sophomore Brooke Bohnert said. "Coach tells us to go hard, get to the ball, not let them penetrate, and if we get beat, then help."

The Pirates committed 27 turnovers in the first 16 minutes.

"We tried to close the gaps and not let them penetrate," Bulldogs senior Katherine Blasiney said. "We also helped."

Notre Dame's Brooke Bohnert, right, reaches for the ball in the hands of Perryville guard Lilly Johnson as the Bulldogs' Allyson Bradshaw also defends during Thursday's game in Perryville, Mo. (LAURA SIMON)

Notre Dame didn't shoot particularly well in the first half (13 of 33 from the floor), but it didn't have to because it limited Perryville to 11 shots before halftime.

"My two shooting guards that I had last year, they had been starters for three seasons, and I lost them to graduation," Perryville coach Vicki Lohmann said. "I knew coming in that would be a shaky thing for us, and it absolutely was. A lot of those were forced by our own team. We just made bad decisions, bad passes and that's something we can get better at hopefully."

Notre Dame coach Renee Peters said she's challenged her team to increase its defensive intensity this season. If the players don't oblige, they'll find themselves sitting beside their coach.

"We had a good showing against Incarnate Word last Saturday in the Farmington tournament," Peters said. "Our defense kept us in that game. One thing I cautioned against was not letting down. They know that every minute they're on the floor, they've got to play hard or someone else is going to be out there playing for them. That's the deal."

Notre Dame's offense shot better in the second half. The Bulldogs hit 50 percent (12 of 24) of their shots after the intermission and did a better job of moving the ball. Bohnert scored eight of her 14 points after halftime.

"We did put a new offense in this year," Peters said. "We're trying to do a lot more back-door cuts. The girls like it. The turnover ratio in the first few games did not make me happy, but I liked that they were looking for each other."

"I think the new offense works pretty good, especially compared to last year because it has a lot more options," Blasiney said. "It took us a little while in practice to get used to it."

Jane Morrill led the Bulldogs with 15 points, including 10 in the first half.

Emily Hanquist paced the Pirates with seven points. Lohmann said Hanquist should score more often this season, but the senior was forced to help bring the ball up the court against Notre Dame's pressure and often wouldn't get looks down low.

"Emily Hanquist, as a sophomore, she was averaging close to 25 points a game on the JV level," Lohmann said. "She's a scorer when she can get the ball close to the basket. ... I think she can give us better point production."

Notre Dame 15 18 15 12 -- 60

Perryville 4 0 10 5 -- 19

NOTRE DAME (60) -- Lacy Boeller 2, Katherine Blasiney 4, Brianne Sanders 6, Allyson Bradshaw 6, Jane Morrill 15, Brooke Bohnert 14, Meghan Dohogne 5, Nicole Blattel 6, Madison Huckstep 2. FG 25, FT 9-18, F 13. (3-pointers: Bradshaw 1. Fouled out: none)

PERRYVILLE (19) -- Hilary Hemman 3, Megan Moldenhauer 2, Lilly Johnson 3, Emily Hanquist 7, Natalie Bauwens 4. FG 8, FT 2-6, F 15. (3-pointers: Johnson 1. Fouled out: none)