Lady Bears split back-to-back last weekend

‘Lightning’ defense fuels 19-0 run against Ouray

After splitting games in a back-to-back last weekend, the Dolores Lady Bears (6-4) are back at it this weekend with two more games in two days.

Last Friday, after getting down early, the Lady Bears were unable to come back in a 41-32 loss at Norwood (9-1).

“Norwood played really good man-to-man defense,” said Dolores head coach Larry Schwartz. “We got a little frustrated. We were within eight or 10 points, we just couldn’t get over that hump. Even with 1:40 left we were still within eight or 10 points, we just couldn’t climb that hill. We dug that hill in the first quarter, otherwise we played them neck-and-neck the whole way.”

Larissa Umberger led the Lady Bears with 10 points, Nicole Kibel added eight and Aryelle Wright scored seven.

Dolores bounced back the following afternoon with a 49-22 win over Ouray (5-4) at home.

The Lady Bears jumped out to a 9-0 lead early, but the Trojans clawed back to within five to end the first quarter 11-6.

“We had a little layoff in the first quarter where we let them catch up a little bit,” said Schwartz. “And then we switched to our ‘lightning,’ which is that 1-2-1-1, and that frustrated them and that’s where we got our big spurt.”

Swarming the Trojans with their lightning press, the Lady Bears used a 19-0 second-quarter run to go into halftime up 30-6, and they would move on to win 49-22.

“Once we get that lightning going the girls just feed off it,” said Schwartz. “The press was the difference.

Kibel led the Lady Bears with 12 points – scoring seven in the first frame – and Madi Archuleta added 10.

Tatum Majors scored eight points for Dolores, Wright chipped in six and Kitty Wallace scored four.

The Lady Bears start a six-game road trip on Friday at Ridgway (2-5), and then play at Nucla (7-3) on Saturday.