By: Friday, February 5, 2021, TRIB-LIVE
The Fox Chapel girls basketball team came into Friday’s Section 2-5A matchup with Hampton winners of three straight.
The Foxes added a victory to that streak in emphatic fashion with a 62-39 victory over the Talbots to sweep the home-and-home section series.
“I am really pleased with the team effort tonight,” said Fox Chapel coach Marty Matvey, who saw his team improve to 5-5 overall and 5-3 in the section.
“We talked about wanting to be disciplined as we go further into the season. If you can be disciplined, you won’t be disappointed. We executed well and withstood every punch Hampton threw at us. We weathered the storm and are trending in the right direction.”
The Talbots slipped to 8-3 overall, 4-2 in the section.
Fox Chapel defeated Hampton, 58-49, on Jan. 12 before the Talbots ran off seven straight victories. In that first game, the Foxes were without sophomore starting forward Elsie Smith, and freshman starting guard Sarah Slember left the game with an injury in the second quarter.
But the Foxes, playing their first home game since Jan. 19, were at full strength Friday. They jumped out to a 16-5 lead in the first quarter and were able to maintain that advantage to halftime.
Leading 42-31 at the end of the third, Fox Chapel outscored Hampton, 20-11, in the final stanza.
Senior Ellie Schwartzman scored a game-high 21 points to go along with 20 rebounds. She tallied 14 of her points in the first half.
“They did a better job on her in the second half, and that’s where her teammates stepped up,” Matvey said. “We had seven kids score, and that is always nice to see.”
Smith added 12 points, including a 5-for-6 effort from the free-throw line, and senior Domenica Delaney scored 10 in the victory.
Kayla Hoehler led Hampton with 14 points, including three 3-pointers. She tallied eight points in the fourth quarter.
“Hampton can score a lot of points quickly,” Matvey said. “We weren’t comfortable until the final buzzer because of how good they are and how well-coached they are.”
Meghan Murray added 12 points for Hampton, which plays Rochester at noon Saturday in the Hoops For A Cure event at North Allegheny.
Fox Chapel hopes to continue its winning ways Saturday as it hosts Woodland Hills (3-2) in a non-section matchup at noon.
“We were able to do a nice job controlling the boards (against Hampton), and that sets us up nicely to go against a team (Saturday) which certainly can control the boards and likes to pound the ball inside,” Matvey said.