On Tuesday, the Cordova High School girls’ basketball team closed out the first round of Sierra Valley Conference action against rival Rosemont.

In a game that the Lady Lancers started the road contest in first place and remained in that same spot. But now share it with El Dorado after the Lady Lancers fell to Rosemont 53-38. The loss puts Cordova and El Dorado at 4-1 each in the SVC. The Lancers are 11-11 overall.

Both teams were guilty of many turnovers in the first quarter of Tuesday’s game. The host Wolverines clung onto a 19-13 lead.

“We started off real flat,” said Cordova coach Raymond Bradley. “There were too many turnovers back and forth. There was no offensive flow.”

Moving the ball was limited for Cordova, which scored a combined eight points in the second and third quarters. Rosemont led 25-17 at halftime and 39-21 after three quarters.

Bradley was pleased with his team’s defense in the final quarter that transitioned into offensive shots for Cordova. The Lady Lancers outscored the Lady Wolverines, 17-13.

“We started pressing them harder,” Bradley said.

Cordova forward Kelsie Graf was the team’s leading scorer with 18 points. Guard Erika Wilson followed with eight points.

Cordova 52, Liberty Ranch 44

In an SVC home contest on Jan. 21st, Graf was on fire for the Lancers.

Graf scored 25 points that included four, 3-pointers. She also sank 3-of-6 free throws, grabbed seven rebounds and three steals.

Wilson had an excellent game from the defensive standpoint with 10 of the Lancers’ 28 steals. That was part of Cordova’s success on defense, which pressed for most of the contest. The result was grounding the Hawks to only four points in the first quarter, as the Lancers led 26-22 at halftime.

“We kind of relaxed them off a little bit, let them back in the game,” said Bradley of the team’s play in the second quarter. “In the third quarter, we jumped on them early.”

That led to a 12-7 advantage for the Lancers, who increased their lead to 38-29 going into the final quarter.

Behind Graf in scoring was Wilson with seven points. Nikki Jones and Adrienne Hammond followed with six points each. Jullisa Reis grabbed nine of the Lancers’ 35 rebounds.

Being in first place is a great feeling for Bradley and the Lancers.

“It’s one game at a time,” Bradley said.

Last night, Cordova started the second half of conference play at Galt. Next Tuesday, Feb. 2nd, the Lady Lancers will host Union Mine. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.