The match between the Plains Trotters and the Hot Springs Lady Savage Heat Friday night was a night of both celebration and defeat. The final score was Plains with 57, Hot Springs with 17.

A better game than lately was played by the Trotters and it was evident that Hot Springs was in need of practice, which led to the 40 point gap. Speaking on behalf of the Trotters, Jade Ladeaux said, “We passed the ball a lot tonight... And we definitely worked better as a team.” She then described the team’s win as part of a climb up a mountain to become better as a team. “Discipline, defense... a lot of defense...” Ladeaux said, describing what the team will be working on in the next week.

In the first quarter it was evident that Plains was controlling the game. Hot Springs was having trouble completing a drive down the court, and they consistently turned over the ball. Only near the end of the quarter did Hot Springs put points up on the board. At that point in the game Plains had leveled off at 12 points, and Hot Springs had climbed their way to four points.

Plains then kicked it into high gear in the second quarter as Hot Springs fought hard to close the ever widening point gap. By the middle of the second quarter, Plains had 21 points, Hot Springs had nine. Hot Springs tried and tried to put points up on the board, but Plains continued to shut them down. Hot Springs stayed at nine points for the remainder of the quarter, while Plains climbed to 33 points.

Hailey Phillips, number 24, consistently racked up points for Plains, and was a team member who stood out amongst a team who all did well together.

The third quarter continued the theme of the game, with Plains dominating the court. Hot Springs could only put an extra three points on the board, taking them to 12 by the end of the third quarter.

Plains slowed up offensively in the fourth quarter, but the defense only let Hot Springs score five points, leaving the score at 57-17, Plains taking the win that night.

Michele Hunter, the Hot Springs coach, said, “We need to slow down our game and stop having so many turnovers.” describing one key aspect as to why Plains pulled so far ahead. She said that the defense is good, but the offense needs to work, so the defense is not overwhelmed. Hunter was still pleased with her team, saying, “I thought our girls fought a pretty hard game tonight, considering how young we are.”