Girls Basketball: Defending State Champion Loudoun County Opens with Win

Bealeton (Dec. 3, 2009) - The AA Division 4 defending state champion Loudoun County High School girls basketball team went on the road and beat Liberty, 71-66, Wednesday in a season opener at the Fauquier County Tip Off Tournament.

Loudoun County played the entire game in foul trouble as four starters had three fouls at the half and senior standouts Kendra Holmes and Alissa Kain picked up their fourth fouls a minute into the second half.

Despite the foul trouble, and facing a starting five that boasted players that went 6-foot3, 6-foot-1, 6-foot and 5-foot-10, the Raiders were able to outscore the Eagles 20-12 in the fourth quarter to get the win.

For the Raiders, sophomore Jenna Strange played steady throughout the contest as she finished with 15 points and 7 rebounds.

Holmes, despite limited minutes, showed why she is one of the top players in the state as she tallied 18 points and eight rebounds.

The leading scorer for the Raiders was junior shooting guard Brittany Batts, who scored 20 points, nine of those in the critical fourth period, and she also had four rebounds.

Kain, who eventually fouled out, finished with eight points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Sophomore Erica Linnemann had a nice game as she finished with eight points.

Alex Lapple, Casey Cummings, and Shauna Kain were also instrumental in the win as they played valuable minutes due to County's foul trouble.

County will be back in action Friday night in second round play of The Faquier County Tip-Off Tournament when they face AAA North Stafford in a 7:45 p.m. contest at Liberty High School.


LOUDOUN COUNTY 71, LIBERTY 66
L (1-0, 0-0) — Batts 20, Holmes 18, Strange 15, A. Kain 8, Linnemann 8, Lapple 2. Totals 0 0-0 66.
Halftime: Liberty, 35-32.
Three-point goals: LC 4 (Batts, Holmes, Strange, Linnemann).
Rebounds: LC 29 (Batts 4, Holmes 8, Strange 7, A. Kain 6, Linnemann 2, Lapple 2).
Assists: LC 8 (Batts 2, Holmes, Strange, A. Kain 3, Linnemann).