Austin Packers girls basketball win third in a row, 72-52 over Rochester Century

Hope Dudycha led four Austin Packers in double figures with 22 points, and a 13-2 Packer run at the end of the first half opened up what was a close game with Rochester Century as the Packers went on the best the Panthers 72-52 in Big 9 Conference action at Ove Berven Gym Tuesday evening.

Austin opened up a 5-0 lead to start the game, but the Panthers rallied with an 8-0 run to take an 8-5 lead in what would prove to be their biggest lead of the game.  The lead see-sawed back and forth until late in the first half when 3-pointers from Hope Dudycha, Casidy Schute and Olivia Walsh, plus two more 2-point field goals from Walsh keyed the 13-2 run to give Austin a 41-27 lead at the half.  The Packers did not let up in the second half as they pushed their lead to as large as 23 points on their way to the win.

Besides Dudycha’s 22 points, sophomore guard Cassidy Schute swished four of Austin’s eight 3-pointers on her way to 18 points, Reana Schmitt was 6 for 6 from the foul line and scored 10 points overall, and Olivia Walsh supplied 10 points off the Austin bench in the first half.  Emma Dudycha chipped in eight points and Elyise Hebrink added four points for the Packers, who won their third in a row and now sit at 4-1.  Freshman guard Taylor Clarey led the Panthers with 16 points as Century dropped their third in a row to fall to 1-4 on the season.

Austin returns to action Friday night at Ove Berven Gym against Mankato East, who currently sit a half-game ahead of the Packers in third place in the Big 9 Conference race.  Varsity tip-off will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday night.