By Cort Reynolds
SPENCERVILLE - Visiting Ada fell behind early and lost 76-40 to Spencerville in a Northwest Conference girls basketball contest Thursday evening.

The Lady Bearcats ran out to a 21-11 lead after the opening period as Emma Leis pumped in 11 points. The hosts extended their lead to 38-21 at intermission as Leis added seven more markers. 

Spencerville put the game well out of reach with a 20-7 third stanza that gave the black and red a 58-28 margin heading to the final quarter.

Ada had its best period in the fourth stanza, losing 18-12.

The Lady Bulldog record fell to 4-13 overall and 1-6 in the NWC with the defeat. Meanwhile, Spencerville improved to 13-7 and 5- 2 in league play after the victory.

Bulldog sophomore lead guard Courtney Sumner topped all players with 23 points.

"Transition defense is what killed us," said Ada third-year head coach Morgan Bass. "Offensively, we didn't look too bad. But then some of us faded away in the second half. 

"We weren't looking at the basket as aggressively," she added of the second half offense.

Leis netted 18 of her 21 points in the first half. Gillian Goecke tallied 10 of her 14 points in the third period. Gabi Croft added a dozen points, while Kirsten Wurst tallied 10 markers.

Junior Kirsten Poling contributed six points for Ada.

The Lady Bulldogs knocked down 11 field goals overall. Ada canned nine two-pointers, and Sumner sank both of their treys. 

The Bulldogs converted 16 of 27 foul shots (59 percent). 

The Bearcat girls connected on 24 two-point goals and hit seven three-pointers for 31 total baskets. Spencerville converted all seven of their free throw attempts (100 percent). 

Ada is now 2-7 away from home this season.

Spenceville also won the reserve game, 31-18. Mariah King led Ada with 14 points.    

Ada 40 (4-13, 1-6 NWC)
Sumner 6 9-13 23, Poling 2 2-5 6, Burkhart 1 0-1 2, Light 1 2-2 4, Waugh 0, Wills 1 3-6 5, Acheson 0.
Totals: 9-2/16-27/40. 3-pointers: Sumner 2.

S'ville 76 (13-7, 5-2 NWC)    
G. Goecke 5 2-2 14, L. Goecke 3 0-0 6, Wurst 4 2-2 10, Croft 5 0-0 12, Prine 1 0-0 2, Staup 2 0-0 4, Lee 1 0-0 3, Lemar 2 0-0 4, Leis 8 3-3 21. 
Totals: 24-7/7-7/76. 3-pointers: Leis 2, G. Goecke 2, Croft 2, Lee 1.

    1    2    3    4    F
Ada    11    10    7    12    40
Svl    21    17    20    18    76        
JV: Spencerville 31, Ada 18.

The Bulldogs (2-6 home) host non-league local foe Waynesfield-Goshen Tuesday, February 9 for Senior Night. Seniors Miranda Wills, Megan Light, Alexis Waugh and Kylie Acheson will be recognized before the varsity game.

"Waynesfield is a scrappy, competitive team," said Bass. W-G lost 53-39 to NWCC leader Ridgemont Thursday night to drop to 6-12.

Ada then entertains Lincolnview (7-13, 1-6 NWC) in the regular season finale Thursday, Feb. 11. The Lancer girls lost to NWC co-leader Crestview 55-40 Thursday.

Delphos Jefferson (6-1) and the Knights are the co-leaders, followed closely by Paulding (5-2) and Spencerville (5-2).

Columbus Grove (4-3) sits just ahead of Bluffton (4-4) in fifth place, followed by Ada (1-6), Lincolnview (1-6) and Allen East (0-7).