Notre Dame girls basketball team drops 74-51 decision vs. St. Joseph Academy

From the start, it was apparent the Notre Dame girls basketball team was in over its heads when the Bulldogs took to Jerry Grim Court against traditional Class 5 power St. Joseph Academy on Saturday.

Not only did the Angels carry in an intimidating resume that includes six state titles, having most recently played for the title in the 2012-13 season, but they brought in an intimidating roster that included five players at least 6-foot tall .

Kelly McLaughlin, one of two 6-foot-3 juniors and the only returning starter from last year's team, appeared to be almost a head taller than nearly every Notre Dame's player.

Notre Dame coach Renee Peters was still able to smile after her team dropped a 74-51 decision. Her starting lineup topped out with 6-0 junior Allie Ziegler, and she looked considerable smaller than the sturdy and athletic McLaughlin.

"It's almost comical," Peters said. " We were outsized at almost every position. It is what it is."

The Bulldogs (1-3) never led in the game and faced a double-digit deficit less than five minutes into the game.

"We knew we were going to have our hands full," Peters said. "We've come off Jackson, Saxony [Lutheran], now St. Joe -- there's not a lot of wiggle room. At this point, we're looking to maybe just get our game better. We're still in that young, rebuilding year. It was David and Goliath going into this. I'm proud of my girls. I think they played with a little bit of heart and a little bit of intensity."

McLaughlin wasted little time making her presence felt on the inside, scoring seven of her 15 points in the first quarter and grabbing a couple offensive rebounds. St. Joseph closed with a 9-0 spurt for a 19-5 lead by the end of the quarter.

Notre Dame's Sam Brennan takes a shot against St. Joseph Academy's Gabby Bossom and Alex Kerr during the fourth quarter Saturday, Dec. 12, 2015 at Notre Dame Regional High School. (Fred Lynch)

The good news for the Bulldogs was the quarter was their worst of the game, as they connected on just 2 of 12 shots from the field and committed nine of their 19 turnovers for the game. The other good news was McLaughlin picked up two fouls in the period and found a seat on the bench.

"They're pretty tall, but coach has some boys come in every once in a while, and we play against them," said senior Maddie Urhahn, the second-tallest Notre Dame starter at 5-9. "It's nothing we haven't seen before. We just need to work to get those outside shots, because inside isn't working."

With McLaughlin on the bench -- 6-3 Meredith Yalden was inserted in her place -- St. Joseph used an 11-0 run in the first half of the second quarter for a 32-9 lead. The 23-point deficit proved to be the low point for the Bulldogs, who scored the game's next eight points. Junior guard Sam Brennan, scoreless to that point, sparked the run with the first of her five 3-pointers.

She capped the half with her second 3-pointer, which cut the deficit to 14 points, 34-20, at halftime.

Brennan added three 3-pointers in the third quarter, where she scored 13 of the Bulldogs' 19 points on her way to a season-high 25 points.

"I finally starting getting my shot on -- and all of us did," Brennan said. "Hayli [Chapman] was shooting a lot, and Maddie Urhahn was starting to shoot a lot, which was good. We were all making them."

Brennan's hot shooting was somewhat neutralized by Angels senior guard Sophie Vogt, who struck for a pair of 3-pointers on her way to a game-high 27 points.

"She's coming off ACL repair, and for her to step in and have a good game really just helps everything else get contagious, and the girls get confidence," longtime St. Joseph coach Julie Matheny said about Vogt. "The thing about us right now is we're not one dimensional. Everyone is having a good quarter here and there, which makes a difference."

The Angels took a 55-39 lead into the fourth quarter, but Notre Dame scored the first seven points of the period to get within single digits for the first time since midway through the first quarter. Chapman, who finished with 15 points, connected on a 3-pointer with 6:16 left to cut the lead to 55-46.

Vogt responded with a pair of fastbreak baskets before the Bulldogs cut the lead to 10 points. Brennan hit her final basket on a 10-foot jumper after grabbing an offensive rebound to put the score at 61-51 with 3:53 left, but the Angels scored the final 13 points of the game.

St. Joseph (3-2), which also has wins over Dexter and Nerinx Hall and counts a 24-point loss to four-time defending Class 5 state champion Rock Bridge, shot 55.7 percent (29 of 52) from the field on its way to a season-high 70 points.

Brennan said the Bulldogs extracted some confidence from the loss to the taller Angels.

"I think it was a big step forward for us," Brennan said. "Especially because we don't usually come back from those kind of games, but now that we have, that's a big step forward for our team. "

Ten of Notre Dame's 18 baskets from the field came from behind the 3-point line. The Bulldogs shot 35.7 percent from 3-point range and 33 percent overall, and they shot 33 percent from the line (5 of 15).

"We don't have a real strong inside game at this point," Peters said. "If we're going to win, we have to hit shots. These girls have been in shooting a lot before school and lot before summer, and that's going to have to be our strength."

The Bulldogs lone win came against Farmington.

"Sam Brennan, Maddie Urhahn stepped up for us, Hayli Chapman," Peters said. "They all came back and wanted to play. You know, scoring has just been a problem. We just can't score, and I've got to figure that out."

St. Joseph 19 15 21 19 -- 74

Notre Dame 5 15 19 12 -- 51

ST. JOSEPH (75) -- Sophie Vogt 27, Mallory Stock 12, Clare Goessling 4, Erick Pudlowski 7, Alex Kerr 9, Kelly McLaughlin 15. FG 29, FT 10-15, F 15 (3-pointers: Vogt 3, Stock 2, Pudlowski. Fouled out: none)

NOTRE DAME (51) -- Sam Brennan 25, Maddie Urhahn 7, Allie Ziegler 2, Hayli Chapman 15, Lexi Welter 2. FG 18, FT 5-15, F 17 (3-pointers: Brennan 5, Urhahn 2, Chapman 3. Fouled out: Ziegler)