The Lady Dragon cagers ran off to an early first quarter lead Friday night but had to hold off Healdsburg when the game went to overtime.
Sonoma hung on for a 54-52 win.
“This was a big win,” said Dragon Coach Jann Thorpe.
Sonoma took an 9-2 lead three minutes into the game and stretched the margin to 16-8 when Annie Neles hit a pair of free throws in the closing seconds of the quarter.
In the opening minutes of the second quarter, the Dragons took a 20-10 lead when Kennedy Midgley hit a pair of free throws. But the Greyhounds finished the quarter on an 11-3 run to pull to within two, 23-21, at the half.
Healdsburg tied the game in the opening minute of the third quarter, but three free throws by Annika Ginter gave the Dragons a three-point lead again.
The Greyhounds came back to grab a one-point lead, but free throws by Neles and Alyssa Schimm and a basket by Sofia Vitale put the Dragons back on top.
Sonoma held a three-point lead going into the fourth quarter, but Healdsburg ran off six straight points in the first two minutes of the fourth quarter to take a 37-34 lead.
The lead changed hands four times in the fourth quarter, but neither team could take more than a three-point margin in the foul-filled affair. Sonoma’s Sydney Von Gober fouled out with 3:28 left in regulation.
Neles hit a pair of free throws at the two-minute mark to give the Dragons a one-point lead, and when Sophie Lucchetti hit a free throw at the 1:34 mark, it gave the Dragons a slim two-point margin. Healdsburg tied the game sending it into overtime.
There were five lead changes in the overtime, but Schimm hit what turned out to be the game-winning basket with 26 second left to break a 52-52 tie.
“I liked our defensive intensity,” Thorpe said. “But we’ve got to work on our toughness inside, both offensively and defensively.”
“Even though our shooting percentage wasn’t good, everybody scored,” she said.
Neles led the Dragon attack with 14, Midgley had 10 and 11 rebounds for a double-double. Ginter, Vitale and Schimm each had six, Erin Gylfe had five,, Von Gober, Kaliyah Hensic and Kasia Jacobson had two and Lucchetti had one.
“We got some solid offense from Annie (Neles), and Kennedy had a double-double,” Thorpe said. But she wasn’t happy with the 19 of 33 from the foul line, although Healdsburg was a dismal seven of 27 from the charity stripe.
The win gives the Lady Dragons a 2-0 SCL mark and a 6-6 overall mark. Sonoma faced Elsie Allen Monday, results not available at press time. The Lady Dragons travel to Analy on Wednesday and host El Molino Friday night.
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