Girls Basketball: Senior-night win over Lake Park closes Geneva’s perfect run through DuKane Conference

GENEVA – Having already clinched the DuKane Conference championship, Geneva had its sights on a second straight undefeated league campaign.

Mission accomplished with a 62-44 win over Lake Park on Tuesday.

It was senior night for the Vikings (24-3, 14-0). Geneva plays at Sycamore in a nonconference game Thursday night.

“It was a great senior night,” said Geneva coach Sarah Meadows. “I thought we really shared the ball well. Lake Park is a very good team. They are a very physical team.

“We are looking forward to the postseason. It is a different mentality.”

With a slim 13-12 lead after one quarter, Geneva seized control in the second quarter.

With Lauren Slagle scoring eight points, the Vikes started the quarter on a 12-0 run. A running layup by Leah Palmer gave the hosts a 25-12 advantage with 4:46 left before intermission.

The Lancers’ (15-14, 7-7) first points of the quarter came with 4:11 remaining on a putback by Michaela Barbanette to make the score 25-14. With Slagle scoring 12 points with nine rebounds and three assists, the Vikings led 31-19 after 16 minutes.

Lake Park climbed within 42-35 on a 3-pointer by Grace Cord with 2:04 left in the third quarter, but couldn’t get any closer.

“These girls never quit,” said Lake Park coach Brian Rupp. “Geneva is a very skilled and unselfish team. They are very long. They clog up the passing lanes. You pick your poison. You blink and they have a basket.”

Slagle paced the winners with 19 points, 12 rebounds and five assists.

“It was a fun night,” said Slagle. “It is exciting to win the conference undefeated for a second straight year. We are excited about the postseason.”

Leah Palmer added 16 points with three assists for Geneva.

Cord, with four 3-pointers, led Lake Park with 14 points. Allison Gogola scored 11, and Barbanette added 10.