Junior guard Sarah Howie did everything she could to get her team to victory on senior night, but her game-high 33 points were not enough, as the Wildcats fell to the Clarksburg Coyotes 65-66 in an overtime thriller.

After a slow start through the first three quarters, the Wildcats came alive in the game late in the fourth to knot it up. After a struggle for either team to take the lead in the final minutes, the game was sent into overtime.

Throughout overtime, neither team could break away from the other until Clarksburg senior Alexa Walker drained two clutch free throws to give the Coyotes the lead for good. Senior co-captain Catherine Madden had a chance to win the game for the Wildcats but a stellar Coyotes defense caused her to miss her lay up.

“We had it,” said Howie, very frustrated after the game. “We should’ve won. If we play them in the playoffs their going to get their [butts] kicked.”

Howie, who scored over half of the team’s points, went 10 of 13 from the free throw line and had eight rebounds.

“Everyone played really well; I didn’t get it all by myself,” said Howie. “People really had great passes to me.  I’m proud of everyone and everyone played with their hearts out. It came down to the last second and we couldn’t pull through.”

Coach Tori Moten was proud of the team for their continous efforts throughout the game, and found the one-point loss frustrating.

“It’s always difficult to lose close games,” said Moten. “It’s the first time we’ve been in overtime this season so it’s kind of like [uncharted] territory.”

The team will have to cope with the loss but look forward to their final two games against Magruder and Blair and into the postseason.

“I think when you lose, it actually motivates you to play harder,” said Moten. “So I think it’s gonna pay dividends for us in the next big game going into the playoffs.”