The McClain Lady Tigers hosted the Miami Trace Lady Panthers on Wednesday night in a losing effort at McClain High School as they fell to 0-4 on the season with the 49-39 loss.

The Lady Tigers were led by Maddy Stegbauer and Kyla Burchett who each had 10 points and played excellent defense to keep the Lady Panthers within reach.

Miami Trace was led by Victoria Fliehman who led the Lady Panthers to victory with 14 points despite missing long stretches because of foul trouble.

The Lady Panthers jumped out in front for good after an early 7-7 tie that was followed by a 13-2 Miami Trace run to end the first quarter with a 20-9 lead.

Miami Trace kept the pressure on McClain in the second quarter opening with a 5-0 run and outscoring the Lady Tigers 11-9 in the period to extend their lead to 13 with the score 31-18 at halftime.

The Lady Tigers tried to fight back in the third quarter where they were able to hold the Lady Panthers to only six points and narrow the gap to 10 points at 37-27 at the end of the third.

McClain head coach Jarrod Haines was very proud of his team following the game. “It is kind of rewarding as a coach when you are working on things every day to see the ids buy in and not back down. That is what McClain basketball has always been about and that is what we want to continue to let it be about,” said Hianes.

“I’m proud of my kids, they played extremely hard and they did not back down. Another thing that was good for us tonight is that everyone, including the bench, had their head in the game. Everyone was locked in and ready to go. We just need to bottle that up and take it with us to every basketball game,” Haines said.

Miami Trace was able to keep pace with the Lady Tigers in the fourth quarter to secure the 49-39 win.

Miami Trace head coach Ben Ackley said after the game, “Sometimes we take the game for granted. We have had spurts in every game that we have not played well.”

“I have never had an easy game here. I was freshman boys coach and it was the same thing,” said Ackley.

(Box Score)

MTHS: 20-11-6-12

MHS: 9-9-9-12

Miami Trace: Wolfe 2-4; Lovett 2-1/2-5; McDonald 4-0/3-8; O.Fliehman 3-0/1-6; V. Fliehman 4(1)-3/3-14; Bryant 3(1)-2/2-11; Miller 1/2-1

Totals: 18(2)-7/13-49

McClain: M. Stegbauer 5-0/1-10; Bolender 1/2-1; E. Stegbauer 3(1)-0/1-9; Whrig 1(2)-8; Burchett 1(1)-5/6-10; Pitzer 1/2-1

Totals: 10(4)-7/12-39

Reach Ryan Applegate at 937-402-2572, or on Twitter @RCApplegate89.