Girls Basketball: Leyden nearly scores first win of season

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Updated: March 10, 2012 8:26AM

Leyden girls basketball coach Michele Szatko really thought her team going to pick up its first win of the season, playing in a West Suburban Conference Gold game at Morton Friday night.

The Eagles certainly had a chance to come out on top. But being in a close game down the stretch was a new experience for Leyden, which lost to the Mustangs 37-34.

For Leyden, a 16-12 halftime edge turned into a 29-28 deficit after three quarters. One of two successful free throws by Stephanie Muralles (team-best 9 points) gave the Eagles (0-25, 0-12) a 34-31 advantage with 2 minutes, 51 seconds left in the fourth.

But Morton went on a 6-0 run to take a 37-34 lead with 42.6 seconds to play. Turnovers by both teams gave Leyden a final chance to tie the score with a three-point basket, but Muralles never got a shot off.

“I really did think we were going to win it,” Szatko said. “Not being in a close game before this season was a huge factor. It was the first time we had a chance to win, but it’s difficult to handle a situation you’re not used to.”

Even with the tough loss, Szatko said there were more positives than negatives for the Eagles.

“It’s the first game this year that we’ve played four solid quarters,” she said. “We didn’t win, but we were able to taste it, and that’s a good experience.”

Leyden was scheduled to play Elmwood Park in a nonconference game on Monday and wrap up the league season against the sixth-place team from the WSC Silver on Wednesday.

The Eagles head to postseason play as the No. 16-seed in the 18-team IHSA Class 4A New Trier Sectional. Leyden will face No. 17 Schurz at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 at Niles North in Skokie. The winner advances to play top-seeded Maine South at 6 p.m. Feb. 14.