ETNA – The ninth-seeded Rio Vista Lady Rams traveled over 300 miles to take on the eighth-seeded Etna Lady Lions in round one of the NSCIF D-V playoffs on Tuesday night. Although the Rams put up a fight early, in the end the game wasn’t close, as the Lady Lions’ athleticism was too much to handle for Rio Vista.

With the score tied 7-7 in the first quarter, Brittney Potter scored to give Etna the lead, 9-7, a lead the Lady Lions would not relinquish. Trina Appler added a bucket to make the score 11-7, going into the second quarter.

Etna led 16-13, when a Paige Finley hoop started a 10-1 run. After Finley scored, Sarah Loogman added a basket, and Ilima Adams dished to Appler for a bucket, upping Etna’s advantage to nine points, 22-13. Baskets by Annaleisa Nadig and Finley increased the lead to double digits at 26-13. Rio Vista added a freebie, leaving Etna ahead 26-14 at the intermission.

The Lady Lions added two points to their lead in the third quarter, making it a 14-point game, 34-20, going into the final frame.

Leading 36-25, Etna went on a game-clinching 14-0 scoring spurt in the fourth quarter. Potter started the run by driving the lane for a hoop, and followed up with another score, making it 40-25. A steal-n-score by Finley upped the lead to 42-25. Then, Potter dropped a dime to Finley who converted for a 44-25 lead. A steal by Jilinda Franklin led to a 3-point play the hard way by Finley, to increase the margin to 47-25. Loogman finished off the scoring for Etna with freebie, and then a put-back, doubling up the Rams 50-25. Rio Vista added three cosmetic hoops at the end of the game, making the final 50-31.

Paige Finley led Etna with 15 points, seven rebounds, and five steals. Trina Appler played big in the paint with nine points and 10 boards. Brittney Potter and Lindsay Stacher each contributed eight points. Annaleisa Nadig broke out the Windex, cleaning the glass with 15 rebounds.

Etna will travel to Durham on Thursday, February 26 to take on the top-seed at 7:00 pm.