
Saturday afternoon the Indians of Cambridge paid a visit to Schaghticoke to take on the Indians of Hoosic Valley in a much anticipated girls basketball run. Cambridge brought with them an undefeated mark of 15-0, and while at times in the first half the Valley tested them, the Indians from the north led start to finish in posting a 56-36 decision over their hosts.
Cambridge senior Bridey Nolan got the scoring started drilling a triple off the left wing just 0:40 in, and that 3-0 lead stood for almost four minutes as both squads looked to find their rhythm offensively.
With 2:16 remaining in the quarter and Cambridge holding a 5-2 advantage, the Indians scored on three straight possessions using a pair of Sophie Phillips runners, and a baseline bucket by her sister Lily, to go up 11-2.
The Valley finished the period with an Alex Rifenburg putback and a Renee Serafin deuce trimming the deficit to 11-6 at quarter’s end.
With under 3:00 left in the second and trailing 20-8, the Valley used a bucket and one by Jessica Espey, and an Ashlyn Chartier jumper to stay in within reach at 20-13, but Cambridge closed the period on a 7-2 run highlighted by knockdown threes from Nolan and Sophie Phillips to take a 27-15 lead into the break.
The third started with an Espey score off the baseline that Cambridge answered with a 9-2 spurt.
A Nolan triple off a nice look from Helen Mooney, putbacks from Fiona Mooney and Sophie Phillips, and an inside bucket by Fiona off a Sophie find extended the lead to 27-13 before an Emaleigh Peckham trey at the 2:40 mark stopped the bleeding temporarily for Hoosic Valley.
But Cambridge quickly put this one away closing the period with another 9-2 run including six straight from Victoria DuPius on a pair of putbacks and a jumper as the Indians from the north cruised from there to win their 16th in as many outings.
Serafin finished with 10 points to lead Hoosic Valley and Rifenburg added nine for the Indians who go to 7-4, 9-5 with the loss, but will have a chance for payback in just a few days with a second meeting in Cambridge Friday night.
Sophie Phillips led the Cambridge attack with 16 points, while Nolan and Fiona Mooney joined in with 10 points each for an Indian squad that continues to impress.