If the Mater Dei Knights were riding high off their 66-46 takedown of the Centralia Orphans last Thursday, their most recent game may have dampened their spirits a bit. Mater Dei took a 54-49 hit to the loss column at the hands of Nashville. Mater Dei has struggled against Nashville recently, as their game on Saturday was their fifth consecutive lost matchup.
Mater Dei's loss came despite a true team effort from the offense, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Lily Butler, who scored 13 points along with two steals. Maris Zurliene was another key contributor, scoring six points along with six assists and two steals.
Mater Dei has been struggling recently, as they've lost three of their last four matchups, which put a noticeable dent in their 19-6 record this season. As for Nashville, they pushed their record up to 24-3 with that win, which was their 11th straight on the road dating back to last season.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Mater Dei will take on Teutopolis at 7:30 p.m. on Monday. As for Nashville, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Pinckneyville at 7:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Pinckneyville will have to bring their A-game into this one, as they are staring down a pretty big deficit in the MaxPreps Illinois Rankings (they are ranked 249th, while Nashville is ranked 33rd).