GIRLS’ BASKETBALL ROUNDUP : Mt.Carmel Loses Third In a Row to Poway, 51-46

Mt. Carmel Coach Peggy Brose sounded frustrated after watching her Sundevils stay close but fail for the third time this season to beat Poway, falling Tuesday night, 51-46, in girls’ basketball.

“We could have won,” said Brose. “But you can’t miss 15 free throws and beat a team as good as Poway. We had our chances.”

So they did. Mt. Carmel led by one after the first quarter and played even enough with the Titans to take a 24-24 tie into the lockerroom at the half.

But as they had in two previous encounters--both Poway victories--the Sundevils found themselves struggling to stay close.

With four minutes left in the third quarter and the Sundevils ahead, 29-26, Mt. Carmel missed a free throw and Poway’s relentless attack began to take its toll.

The Titans allowed just one field goal in the next 6 1/2 minutes, giving them a 39-31 lead until Mt. Carmel’s Kris Grazzini, a sophomore who finished with 11 points, broke the drought with a jump shot.

But Poway took advantage of Mt. Carmel’s erratic free throw shooting with some sharp foul line performances of its own. Jenifer Guerena made eight of 14 foul shots in the fourth quarter. She finished with 12 points.

“There were some lapses and they cost us,” said Brose. “You can’t go to sleep against Poway. We keep saying that we’ll beat them next time, but sooner or later there’s not going to be a next time.”

The Sundevils commited 27 to the Titan’s 19, also contributed to Poway’s victory and the undisputed lead in the Palomar League race. Poway is 11-1 and 3-0. Mt. Carmel dropped to 8-4, 2-1.

“They made a lot of turnovers, they’re young,” said Christy Fortney, Poway’s leading scorer, who was held to 10. “But it proves our point. We’ve beaten them three times.”

Poway Coach Jay Trounsdale said his defense has been the key to his team’s success and their full court pressure bothered Mt. Carmel all night, but the turnovers were still bothersome.

“We threw the all away too much. We can’t keep doing that,” he said.