By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
One player broke a record and another one reached a career milestone, but neither of them was able to lead the Ryle girls basketball team to victory in a game at Mount Notre Dame on Thursday.
Mount Notre Dame, one of the top 10 teams in the Ohio state rankings, defeated Ryle, 55-45, to push its perfect record to 7-0 under new head coach Drew Fladung. It was the fifth game in six years between the two teams and the Cougars have won four of them.
Ryle’s record dropped to 3-2 despite the efforts of senior center Sarah Baker, who netted a game-high 18 points to surpass the 1,000-point mark in career scoring.
Her senior teammate Quinn Eubank set a team record in career rebounds (1,095) during the game.
Baker scored 10 points in the first half that ended with the home team holding a slim 27-25 lead. The Cougars were ahead, 38-35, going into the fourth quarter and extended their lead by outscoring Ryle at the foul line.
In the final eight minutes, Ryle made five field goals and did not shoot a free throw while Mount Notre Dame went 10-of-12 at the line during a game-winning 17-10 run. The Cougars ended up with an 11-0 scoring advantage at the line.
Mount Notre Dame’s leading scorers were senior forward Laila Harrison with 12 points and junior guard Grace Pitzer with 10. Pitzer made two of her team’s six 3-point goals. All three of Ryle’s treys came in the first half.
Three years ago, Mount Notre Dame won its eighth Ohio Division I state championship. Last year’s team lost in the district finals and finished with a 20-5 record. Ryle was 9th Region runner-up the last two seasons and won a Kentucky state title in 2019.
The Raiders will play their first 33rd District seeding game Friday at home against Boone County. Next week, they’ll face Louisville Male (3-1) in the opening round of the Lexington Classic Holiday Classic on Thursday.
RYLE 9 16 10 10 — 45
MOUNT NOTRE DAME 13 14 11 17 — 55
RYLE (3-2): Baker 9 0 18, Eubank 4 0 8, Peters 2 0 5, Miller 1 0 3, Jones 4 0 8, Carrigan 1 0 3. Totals: 21 0 45.
MOUNT NOTRE DAME (7-0): Harrison 5 2 12, Pitzer 4 0 10, Hoffman 0 4 4, Bradford 2 4 9, Elkins 2 0 4, Hoover 2 0 5, Corsmo 1 0 3, Vieth 3 1 4. Totals: 19 11 55.
Three-point goals: R – Peters, Miller, Carrigan. MND – Pitzer 2, Bradford, Hoover, Corsmo, Vieth.