Unbeaten EA girls hold off GA

If there is one thing we've learned from the first week and a half of the Episcopal Academy girls' basketball season, it is that the Churchwomen surely can keep their composure.

And when it really counts, they'll make their free throws.

Saturday, the Churchwomen overcame a late surge from Cardinal O'Hara to beat the Lions in overtime, going 9 for 12 from the foul line in extra time.

While Tuesday's 42-29 win over Germantown Academy in an Inter-Ac League game might not have been as dramatic, Episcopal showed that same poise.

After an early lead, the Churchwomen trailed for the next 14 minutes of play, letting the Patriots dominate transition with their up-tempo, fast-break style.

"In the first half, we were all kind of selfish and doing our own thing and we weren't all together," Episcopal sophomore Sarah Abbonizio said.

Megan Quinn, a senior forward, said that at halftime, the players talked about playing as a team and using their defense to jump-start their offense.

"We completely came out with a different mentality," Quinn said.

The game was tied with less than three minutes remaining in the third quarter, and Episcopal led by only five points with less than three minutes remaining in the fourth.

Sparked by excellent ball control and disciplined passing in the final two minutes, the Churchwomen (5-0 overall, 1-0 Inter-Ac) sank six straight free throws, putting the game out of reach for the Patriots (1-3, 1-1).

Quinn scored a game-high 14 points and added eight rebounds, three blocks, and four steals for the Churchwomen. Abbonizio added 12 points.

Episcopal outscored GA, 28-10, over the last 16 minutes. Quinn and Abbonizio combined for 15 of those 28 second-half points.

Next week, Episcopal will face Notre Dame in a battle of two of the top teams in the Inter-Ac.

"It is stressful," Abbonizio said of the Churchwomen's schedule. "We weren't expecting to have two huge games so early on in the season, but it is definitely manageable for us because we have the composure and the mental toughness to pull through."

Composure, that they definitely have.

Germantown Acad.   6 13 6 4 – 29

Episcopal Acad.   5 9 14 14 – 42

GA: Kendall Grasela 9, Kiernan McCloskey 6, Margaret Ann Hubbell 4, Angela Upright 4, Olivia Gorman 3, Natalie Turner 3.

EA: Megan Quinn 14, Sarah Abbonizio 12, Maria Kilcullen 6, Kristen Hinckley 5, Margaux Paolino 4, Meghan Pickell 1.