BY DARRELL MOODY
Nevada Appeal Sports Writer
It certainly wasn't the prettiest win ever, but Carson High School coach Todd Ackerman and his Lady Senators will gladly take it.
Carson wiped out a four-point halftime deficit with a 10-2 run to open the second half, and then followed that up with a key 6-0 run early in the fourth quarter en route to a 49-40 win over Wooster Tuesday night in a Sierra League contest.
The Senators, who have struggled to a 6-8 nonconference mark, improved to 2-0 in league play and 8-8 overall heading into Friday's game at Damonte Ranch and Saturday's contest at Bishop Manogue.
"I was happy with our effort," Ackerman said. "We played hard. A win is a win. We're 2-0 and that's where we want to be. We've put in some new things offensively and we'll use the next two days to get better."
Carson used a half-ending 5-2 run to pull to within four at the half, 28-24.
Wooster's Sheila Christy had eight of her 12 points in the first 16 minutes and Brianna Hendrix added seven, six of those on two 3-point field goals.
"We didn't defend very well in the first half," Ackerman said. "We were shading too much to the left, and they really took us to the left. We didn't box out. Our help defense wasn't very good.
"We were getting some pressure (in the second half). We made them do things that they didn't want to do."
Wooster turned the ball over nine times and missed its only field goal attempt in the first 5 minutes, 39 seconds when Carson took the lead for good with its aforementioned 10-2 run en route to a 35-30 lead with 2:21 left in the third quarter.
Carson junior guard Gina Bianchi, who was hampered by foul problems throughout the game, started the surge with a layup and following a Wooster turnover, senior Brandi Vega drove the lane and scored, tying the game at 28.
Vega finished with a game-high 18 points.
Wooster's Bryana Jones scored to give the Colts a 30-28 lead, but Carson, or rather Vega, roared back with seven unanswered points. Four of those points came at the line and she had a 3-pointer to end the surge.
Vega didn't start because she had missed the recent Las Vegas Invitational event because of a soccer commitment. Ackerman inserted her at the outset of the second quarter, and the difference was obvious. No doubt Wooster wishes she had stayed in Florida to play soccer.
"It was a tale of two halves," Wooster coach Casey McCann said. "We played an outstanding first half. Carson picked up the intensity and we didn't match it. We came out flat in the second half.
"Brandi was quicker than I expected. She's tough because she can hit the outside shot and she can get to the basket (off the dribble). She caused foul problems for our post players."
Wooster did close to 35-34 with 7:45 left in the game, but a 9-2 run gave the Senators a 44-36 lead. Cassie Vondrak led the surge with a putback and two free throws and Tiffany O'Day, who finished with nine points, scored on a putback.
"That was big," Ackerman said.
Carson had several opportunities to extend its lead in the final period, but its free-throw shooting was horrendous. Carson went 8-for-13 in the final period and 18-of-34 overall.
- Contact Darrell Moody at dmoody@nevadaappeal.com or (775) 881-1281