Lady Hawks open with a win

    HODGDON — The Lady Hawks rolled into the new season, picking up a 40-34 victory last Saturday against visiting Van Buren.
    Senior Samantha “Sam” Carpenter spearheaded the Lady Hawks’ attack with eight of her total 15 points in the first half, as Hodgdon opened up a 27-13 halftime advantage.
Houlton Pioneer Times photograph/Gloria Austin
LOSES THE HANDLE – Houlton’s Martha McPartland loses the handle on the ball momentarily as she is pressured by Schenck’s Courtney MacLeod.
    Carpenter and Krystal Estabrook combined for eight points in the opening quarter to give Hodgdon an 11-4 lead. In the second period, Taylor Quint and Shannon Martin supported Carpenter, as all three players dropped in four points.
    Jennifer Ouellette paced Van Buren with six points in the second quarter of play.
    Both teams, according to Hodgdon coach Olin Quint, played the second half evenly.
    “Van Buren closed the scoring gap on us,” he said.
    The Crusaders cut into Hodgdon’s lead 36-24 behind four points apiece from Ouellette and Brittany Bard. But again, Carpenter came up big for Hodgdon scoring seven points to keep Van Buren at bay.
    “Van Buren outplayed us in the fourth,” Quint said.
    Van Buren outscored Hodgdon, 10-4, in the final period, but came up shy.
    Melissa Quint finished the game with eight points and eight rebounds and Taylor Quint had seven assists, while Van Buren’s Ouellette had 15 points and Kristen Vaillancourt added eight.