The Taylor County Lady Cardinals earned a hard-fought opening-round victory over the West Jessamine Lady Colts in the Clark’s Pump ’n Shop Sweet 16, grinding out a close contest to move on to the quarterfinals at Rupp Arena.
Taylor County relied on efficient shooting and timely plays down the stretch to secure the win. The Lady Cardinals shot 51 percent from the field (19-of-37) and knocked down 10 three-pointers on 19 attempts (53 percent), which proved to be the difference in the tightly contested matchup.
West Jessamine kept the pressure on throughout the game. The Lady Colts shot 40 percent from the floor (21-of-53) and connected on 11 three-pointers, while also dominating the rebounding battle with 35 total boards, including 17 offensive rebounds that created multiple second-chance opportunities.
Despite being outrebounded, Taylor County protected the basketball and capitalized on key moments. The Lady Cardinals committed just nine turnovers and turned West Jessamine mistakes into 15 points, helping them maintain the edge in a game that stayed competitive from start to finish.
Kennedy Deener led the Lady Cardinals with 19 points, doing much of her work at the free-throw line where she went 9-of-12. She also added three rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
Greta Bradstreet followed with 18 points, shooting 7-of-14 from the field and 3-of-7 from beyond the arc while contributing two rebounds and two assists.
Kayley Benningfield delivered one of the most efficient performances of the night, scoring 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including 3-of-4 from three-point range. She also recorded three assists and six steals, playing a major role defensively.
Avery Raikes added five points and five rebounds, along with four steals, while Kallie Vaughn chipped in three points, two rebounds, and two assists.
As a team, Taylor County finished with 10 steals and seven blocks, helping offset West Jessamine’s advantage on the boards.
With the win, the Lady Cardinals advance to face the Notre Dame Pandas of the 9th Region.
Notre Dame enters the matchup with a 25-7 record and opened tournament play with a 77-38 victory over the Pikeville Lady Panthers at Rupp Arena.