LIVINGSTON MANOR — After a weather postponement weeks ago, the Audra Sipple Spath tournament was finally able to reach its conclusion on Saturday afternoon. Liberty and Livingston Manor set the stage with a high-scoring, intense consolation round that led into the Tri-Valley vs Sullivan West finale. Despite taking an 11-point lead into the fourth quarter, Liberty needed the entirety of the fourth to secure the 51-49 victory.

The Lady RedHawks opened on an 11-5 run, but the Lady Wildcats ended with five straight to cut the Liberty lead to just one point by the end of the first quarter.

Liberty started to find their stride in the second quarter, knocking down shot after shot and beginning to extend their lead as they sped towards halftime. Livingston Manor was able to offset the scoring with eight points of their own, but 16 for Liberty gave them an impressive 27-18 lead at the break.

Switching sides for the second half, Liberty continued to outpace the Livingston Manor offense, who was also scoring at a season-high pace. Liberty added another 16 points to their lead, while Livingston Manor netted 14. The scoreboard read 43-32 by the end of the third quarter, and eight minutes separated Liberty from a much-needed win.

The fourth quarter began, and it was the Lady Wildcats who ramped up the intensity, scoring the first nine points of the quarter and cutting the RedHawks lead to just two points before Liberty netted their first bucket of the quarter.

The two exchanged buckets and Livingston Manor got their first lead of the game in the final four minutes, taking a 47-46 lead after converting on a shot from beyond the arc. Liberty followed with two free throws to regain the lead, to which Manor equalized with a free throw of their own to knot it at 48 apiece.

Liberty was able to break through Livingston Manor’s press for a late layup to take a 50-48 lead before a free throw got the RedHawks to 51. With mere seconds remaining, the Wildcats were unable to get a game-tying shot off, rather being fouled and sent to the line, hitting one of two and ending the game 51-49.

Liberty was paced by Destiny Loyce and Julissa Velez with 14 points apiece, while Mya Huebsch added an additional 10 points. Tianna Wilson’s late layup secured the win for the Lady RedHawks.

Livingston Manor’s Anastasia Niforatos led all scorers with 16 points, including seven in the fourth quarter comeback. Sarah Gorr and Kelsey Ryder netted eight and seven respectively.

“We never stopped playing, no matter the deficit,” Livingston Manor Coach Maggi Fitzpatrick said. “I’m so proud of them and how they stayed level-headed and stuck to the game plan. We haven’t been in a late game situation like that all season and the girls showed that they have so much ahead of them.”

“It was a great win,” Liberty Coach Tim Johnson said. “I love how the girls finished, how my underclassmen stepped up. We have one last game against Seward and it’s a game we’ve been waiting for. It has been a roller coaster season but our future is bright.”