A Costly Win for Mater Dei

Mater Dei’s 62-51 victory over visiting Rosary in a Serra League girls’ basketball game Thursday night was also a big loss.

Monarch starting forward Kyra Melville, the team’s second-leading scorer, suffered what is believed to be a dislocated knee and a torn anterior cruciate ligament late in the third quarter after helping spark a Mater Dei comeback.

Mater Dei (18-4, 4-0 in league) fell behind, 37-31, with 5:37 left in the third but used an 8-2 run, including a pair of free throws by Melville, over the next 1:48 to tie the game, 39-39.

After the tying basket, Melville intercepted a pass and took off down the left sideline. As she neared the baseline, she tried to make a quick cut toward the basket, causing a defender to fall into her. Melville’s left knee buckled.

She lay on the court for more than half an hour, receiving treatment from paramedics, and was transported to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Anaheim.

“She is the heart and soul of this team,” Mater Dei Coach Ollie Martin said. “We wanted to win this for her so we could call her at the hospital and tell her.”

Mater Dei center Lindsay Pavlik, who missed the last two games with a dislocated shoulder and was not expected to play, entered the game with the Monarchs trailing, 37-31, in the third. She had six points to help spark the comeback.