Mendota’s Abby Morris is fouled by Princeton’s Katie Click on Jan. 30. MHS picked up a 67-63 victory over the visitors. (Reporter photo by Kip Cheek)

Mendota and Princeton, meeting for the second time in three days, played a game of streaks, but the Lady Trojans managed to thwart off every Princeton threat for a 67-63 NCIC Lincoln win on Jan. 30 at the MHS gym.

The win upped Mendota’s record to 14-10 overall and 4-4 in the conference. MHS has won four straight games as it heads down the home stretch toward post-season tournament time.

The Lady Trojans looked like they were going to run away and hide, opening up a 31-19 halftime lead and extending it early in the third quarter. But Princeton came roaring back and climbed to within 44-42 before Abby Morris’s basket to end the third gave MHS a 46-42 lead with eight minutes to play.

Mendota scored the first six points of the fourth period on two free throws by Lauren Kellen and back-to-back hoops by Brianne Blumhorst. Princeton carved into the MHS lead and trailed 54-50 midway through the frame when the Lady Trojans scored seven straight for a 61-50 cushion. Two free throws by Kellen, a steal and a hoop by the junior, one free toss by Karina Arteaga and another Blumhorst bucket accounted for the points.

The Lady Trojans led by nine (63-54) with 1:42 to play when Princeton scored six straight, but Mendota slammed the door the rest of the way.

Blumhorst finished with 23 points, while Kellen had 15 and Selena Waido 11.

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Sometimes games are won or lost in the opening quarter. Such was the case for the Lady Trojans at Princeton on Jan. 28. MHS blitzed the home team for 20 first-quarter points and then hung on for a 59-51 NCIC Lincoln victory.

Quality marksmanship from three-point land helped the Lady Trojans take a double-digit lead in the first. Lauren Brunoehler hit the mark on a trio of three-pointers and Lauren Becker added one as Mendota built a 20-8 cushion.

MHS’s offense continued to shine in the second stanza as it outscored Princeton, 18-7, to take a commanding 38-15 lead to the locker room. Eight of Mendota’s points came from the free throw line, including four of four from Waido.

The second half was nearly a complete opposite of the first. Mendota may have relaxed a little too much with that huge lead and Princeton was able to whittle the margin to under 10 in the end.

The Lady Trojans picked up two more trifectas in the third, from Brunoehler and Arteaga, but managed only one more conventional basket from Morris. Meanwhile, Princeton heated up for 16 points, but MHS still carried a 46-31 lead to the final period.

In the fourth, the Lady Trojans were outscored, 20-13, but the first-half lead they built up was enough to survive.

Brunoehler knocked down five three-pointers for the contest and finished with 18 points. Waido and Kellen added eight points apiece.

Mendota captured the sophomore game, 45-33, behind a 22-point outburst from Sydney Miller.

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Mendota had the three-ball working at LaSalle-Peru as it rallied in the fourth quarter for a 59-52 win over the Lady Cavs on Jan. 26.

Trailing by four (42-38) heading into the final frame, the Lady Trojans poured in 21 fourth-quarter points and held L-P to 10. Waido did a majority of the damage as she drilled four field goals from beyond the three-point arc in the final stanza.

Waido finished with five three-pointers and a pair of free throws to lead MHS with 17 points. Kellen added 15 points, including 10 free throws, while Becker had 14 points, 12 of which came from the stripe.

Mendota finished with 14 goals (six three-pointers) and 25 free throws as L-P was whistled for 27 fouls.