6-2 Lady Panthers off to best start in seven years
Gowder leads shorthanded Lady Panthers in comeback at Lakeview
By TODD FORREST Sentinel Writer

M.C. Edmondson gets in position for the Lady Panther offense against Lumpkin Co.

Union County was without the services of leading scorer Candace Williams, when the Lady Panthers traveled to Gainesville, to take on the Lakeview Academy Lady Lions. Kayla Gowder picked up the slack and led Union with 18 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, when Union rallied from a nine point deficit with just 3:00 remaining. Sarah Fulghum scored eight and Leslie Bittenbinder added seven for the Lady Panthers.

Union County jumped out to an 8-3 lead and held an 8-6 lead after the first quarter. During the second quarter, Lakeview outscored Union 13- 6 to take a 19-14 at halftime. Gowder led Union with six first half points. Fulghum had four, Edmondson, and Bittenbinder each added two. "We did not play well at all without Candace on this night, but it wasn't just that we didn't shoot the ball well; we were just out of sync all night long," said Coach West.

The Lady Panther defense clamped down during the third quarter and held the Lady Lions to just six points, while Kaley Sullivan and Bittenbinder found their range from beyond the arc. And after three quarters of play, the score was deadlocked at 25- 25.

The first five minutes of the fourth quarter were all Lakeview. The Lady Lions outscored Union 11-4 to begin the final frame and Union found themselves behind 36-29 with 3:00 to play. After Lakeview opened the quarter with a run, Union responded with a run of their own. The Lady Panthers closed out the game on a 9-0 run, with Gowder scoring seven of Union's final nine points. "We out-played them the last three minutes, which coincidentally is when Kayla put us on her back and carried us," said Coach West.

SCORING SUMMARY:

UC: 08 - 06 - 11 - 13 - 38

LV: 06 - 13 - 06 - 11 - 36

INDIVIDUAL SCORING: (2ptrs-3ptrs-FT's-Total Pts)

Gowder 7-0-4-18,

Fulghum 4-0-0-8, Bittenbinder 1-1-2-7, Sullivan 0-1-0-3, Edmondson 1-0-0-2