Notre Dame girls rally in fourth to beat Nerinx Hall

WEBSTER GROVES, Mo. -- Notre Dame's girls basketball team is trying to follow in the footsteps of the school's softball and volleyball teams this season.

The softball team captured the Class 3 state title, while the volleyball team finished fourth in the state in Class 3.

A fourth-quarter comeback propelled the girls basketball team to a 74-67 victory over Nerinx Hall on Saturday.

"I think a spirit and belief flows through our school in a way that translates well to the playing field," Notre Dame coach Renee Peters said.

Both junior guard Allyson Bradshaw and 6-foot-1 senior center Jane Morrill dominated the early portion of the game. Bradshaw had nine points in the first quarter, while Morrill added six. Both teams played a rough-and-tumble style of defense that left bodies sprawled all over the court.

Notre Dame's Brooke Bohnert, top, and Nerinx Hall's Kirsti Yess tumble to the court while chasing a loose ball during Saturday's game in Webster Groves, Mo. (KAREN SMITH)

Nerinx Hall (6-7) employed a trapping defense during the middle of the game that consistently double-teamed Notre Dame's best players and neutralized much of the Bulldogs' offensive attack.

Notre Dame (9-1) was down 33-28 at the half, and trailed by eight entering the final quarter.

"I was a little scared at that point mainly because of my fouls," Morrill said. "But then we settled down and started rebounding, moving the ball better and stepping up our defense. We figured out their plan on offense and we took advantage."

Notre Dame started the fourth quarter with a 6-0 spurt, largely perpetuated by Bradshaw. She ended up scoring 30 points, with the majority of those in the fourth quarter. She drained four 3-pointers.

The Bulldogs managed to shut down the Markers and produce enough points to complete the comeback. Bradshaw cemented her team's victory with a field goal and a pair of free throws.

Notre Dame's Allyson Bradshaw dishes off to a teammate during the Bulldogs' game at Nerinx Hall on Saturday. She finished with 30 points. (KAREN SMITH)

"We just figured out their plan on offense and our defense took advantage," Bradshaw said.

Notre Dame helped itself by converting 84 percent (16 of 19) or its free throws. Nerinx Hall only hit 62 percent (13 of 21) of its tries.

Notre Dame 17 11 14 32 -- 74

Nerinx Hall 16 17 17 17 -- 67

NOTRE DAME (74) -- Allyson Bradshaw 30, Jane Morrill 15, Katherine Blasiney 11, Meghan Dohogne 10, Brooke Bohnert 8. FG 20, FT 16-19. (3-pointers: Bradshaw 4 Blasiney 2. Fouled out: none)

NERINX HALL (67) -- Mary Beth Mathias 23, Kirsti Yess 20, Emily Welin 9, Haylye Markway 7, Kelsey Reeds 4, Lexi Cochran 2, Breland Basler 2. FG 15, FT 13-21. (3-pointers: Yess 4, Welin 2, Mathias 2. Fouled out: none)