While the Avella Eagles couldn't quite beat the Mapletown Maples on Monday, the two-point margin was a huge improvement compared to the 22-point loss they were dealt last Thursday. Avella fell just short of Mapletown by a score of 40-38. Avella has struggled against Mapletown recently, as their matchup on Monday was their third consecutive lost matchup.
Avella's loss came despite strong showings from Ava Frank and Haleigh Rush. Frank scored 14 points along with eight rebounds and three steals, while Rush scored 15 points. That was a full 36.8% of Avella's points, marking the fourth time in a row she's earned more than a third of the team's points.
Mapletown's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Isabella Garnek, who almost dropped a double-double on nine points and 13 rebounds. Makenna Lotspeich was another key contributor, scoring 13 points along with two steals.
Avella has been struggling recently as they've lost seven of their last eight games, which put a noticeable dent in their 3-14 record this season. As for Mapletown, their win ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 6-10.
Avella and Bishop Canevin will face off at 7:00 p.m. on January 30th without much rest after finishing up games yesterday. Avella is coming into the game with six straight defeats on the road, meaning Bishop Canevin will have to defend against a team hungry for a win. As for Mapletown, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Geibel Catholic at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Hopefully Mapletown focused on turnovers this week since the team gave up 28 on Monday.
