Unity suffers loss at home in defensive battle to Cissna Park
TOLONO - The Unity Rockets girls basketball team fell short in a 36-25 loss to the visiting Cissna Park Timberwolves on Tuesday night, as offensive struggles and strong defensive pressure from the Timberwolves denied the team a home win in the non-conference contest at the Rocket Center.
Unity started strong, leading 9-8 after the first quarter, thanks to early contributions from Lauren Haas and Claire Meharry. Haas tallied four points in the opening period, while Meharry added five. However, Cissna Park adjusted in the second quarter, taking a 17-12 halftime lead behind the steady play of Lauryn Hamrick and Addison Lucht.
The Timberwolves maintained control in the second half, outscoring Unity 19-13 over the final two quarters. Hamrick led all scorers with 11 points, going 5-for-8 from the free-throw line. Lucht chipped in nine points, including an efficient 5-for-6 performance at the stripe.
Meharry finished with a team-high nine points for Unity, while Haas added seven, converting 33% of her attempts. The Rockets struggled offensively, shooting just 25% (10-for-40) from the field and 50% from the free-throw line.
The loss drops Unity to 4-3 on the season, marking their second consecutive defeat. The Rockets will look to rebound Wednesday night when they host Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond (ALAH) at the Rocket Center. Cissna Park improves to 5-1 with the win, continuing their strong start.
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