Lady Mules Open Hardcourt Season With Split In Lopsided Affairs

By Brian Turner

The Fairfield Lady Mules have opened their 2023-24 basketball season with a pair of lopsided games, finding themselves on the opposite sides of them. The Lady Mules opened the season on the not-fun side, losing at Newton 42-21 on Tuesday. They made their home debut Thursday and were on the fun side, blasting past visiting Flora, 53-27.

Fairfield shot just 17 percent from the field in the loss to Newton, while also getting out rebounded 44-21. That added up to Fairfield never leading after an early 3-1 lead. They scored just one more point in the opening quarter and trailed 9-4 at the first stop.

Neither team could get going in the second quarter and Fairfield trailed just 12-7 at halftime, but then Newton outscored them 30-14 in the second half.

Rylee Edwards scored 17 of Fairfield’s 21 points, and hit six of their seven made field goals. Freshman Dalanie Ellis hit the other.

Camryn Martin led Newton with 16 points. Lilly Kessler had 12 rebounds and Karasyn Martin had 10 rebounds.

Newton 42, Fairfield 21

            2s            3s            FTA         FTM        TP

Fairfield

Poole   0              0              0              0              0

Mellis  0              0              6              1              1

Edwards             6              0              3              0              17

Simpson             0              0              2              0              0

Copeland            0              0              0              0              0

Foster 0              0              2              1              1

Dellis   1              0              0              0              2

Rebounds (Off-Def-Tot)—Myra Copeland 1-2-3, Mabrey Foster 0-3-3, Dalanie Ellis 3-0-3, Rylee Edwards 1-2-3, Lily Simpson 0-2-2, Kinley Poole 1-0-1, Mabry Ellis 0-1-1, Total 7-13-20.

Turnovers—14.

Assists—Simpson 2, M. Ellis 2, Poole 1, Cori Sutton 1.

Steals—M. Ellis 3, Copeland 1, D. Ellis 1, Sutton 1, Edwards 1.

Blocks—Simpson 1.

Newton

CMartin              5              0              9              6              16

Kessler               3              0              4              2              8

Barthelemy        2              0              0              0              4

Bennett              2              0              0              0              4

KMartin              2              1              3              2              9

Meinhart            0              0              2              1              1

Rebounds—Lilly Kessler 3-9-12, Karasyn Martin 6-4-10, Allie Hermann 4-1-5, Izzy Meinhart 1-3-4, Camryn Martin 2-1-3, Emma Nadler 0-3-3, Elley Bennett 1-2-3, Macy Barthelemy 0-1-1, Kylie Higgs 0-1-1, Total 20-26-46.

Turnovers—14.

Assists—Bennett 3, K. Martin 3, C. Martin 2, Kessler 1, Meinhart 1.

Steals—C. Martin 4, Bennett 4, Kessler 1, Meinhart 1, K. Martin 1.

Blocks—Kessler 1.

After struggling offensively in the season opener, Tonya Conrad’s Mule gals started their home opener hot, scoring the first nine points of the game against Flora. They led 13-6 by the first stop and 29-11 by halftime, easily outpacing their first game total in a half.

Flora shot 50 percent from the field, while forcing 27 turnovers by the Wolfgals, leading to a 24-10 advantage in field goal makes.

Edwards again led the way, netting 14 points, while sophomore Mabrey Foster came off the bench and matched that number on 7-of-12 shooting.

Lily Simpson netted nine points, while Myra Copeland and Mabry Ellis each had six points.

Fairfield (1-1) will host Salem Monday. They will play in the Robinson Lady Maroon Thanksgiving Tournament Friday and Saturday.

Fairfield 53, Flora 27

Fairfield

Poole   1              0              0              0              2

Mellis  2              0              4              2              6

Edwards             7              0              2              0              14

Simpson             2              1              2              2              9

Copeland            3              0              0              0              6

Foster 7              0              0              0              14

Smith  1              0              0              0              2

Rebounds—Copeland 2-5-7, Foster 2-4-6, Edwards 1-3-4, D. Ellis 1-1-2, M. Ellis 2-0-2, Simpson 1-0-1, Gacek 0-1-1, Poole 1-0-1, Total 10-16-26.

Turnovers—15.

Assists—Poole 3, Lauren Wolfe 2, Smith 2, D. Ellis 2, Edwards 2, Copeland 1, M. Ellis 1.

Steals—Poole 6, Copeland 4, M. Ellis 3, Simpson 2, Foster 2, D. Ellis 2, Edwards 1.

Blocks—M. Ellis 1, Simpson 1, Smith 1.

Flora

Yager  2              1              0              0              7

Campos              2              1              0              0              7

Jennings             1              0              5              3              5

Jones   1              0              4              2              4

Patterson           1              0              0              0              2

Closson               1              0              1              0              2

Rebounds—Jennings 3-4-7, Jones 2-2-4, Lewis 1-2-3, Warren 1-1-2, Campos 0-1-1, Stanford 1-0-1, Patterson 0-1-1, Total 8-14-22.

Turnovers—27.

Assists—Lewis 2, Campos 1, Jones 1, Warren 1, Yager 1, Jennings 1.

Steals—Jennings 5, Jones 3, Campos 1, Stanford 1.

Blocks—Yager.