Free throws fail Lady Blue Devils in close loss at Armijo

FAIRFIELD — Those darn free throws …

Missing nine of 17 charity tosses — including six down the stretch — the Lady Blue Devils fell at Armijo, 46-42, on Tuesday.

The Indians came out early with a box-and-one defense, determined to stop Davis High’s leading scorer Ashleigh Vandenbrink. The strategy worked for a little while — the locals trailed 23-14 at halftime — but the senior standout broke loose in the second half to finish with 16 points. She also added 12 rebounds.

“We adjusted and played well in the second half,” said DHS coach Karen Foster. “But we dug ourselves that big hole.”

Foster said her team will continue to work on the free throws, the poor shooting of which has become a Devil weakness.

At one point Davis (7-3) was trailing 43-33, but went on a 9-3 run to end the game.

“We hadn’t really practiced going against (the Armijo strategy),” Foster explained. “Now we know what we have to do … it’s kind of back to the drawing board in practice.”

Post Emma Stenz had six points for the Devils with Jamie Kingsley, Lauren Cordano, Caitlin Mazzoleni and Becca Hassid each adding four. Rachael Allison and Tori Powell contributed a bucket each.

Justice Robinson-Kroon led Armijo (5-4) with 20 points and Melaya Gaines added 16.

DHS guard Anna Belenis, wrist heavily taped from an injury in the Napa Wine Country Classic last weekend, nonetheless played. Her senior backcourtmate Kylie Drexel (flu) did not.

Next up for the Devils is another road contest on Thursday. Davis meets Rosemont, which is now 6-5. Game time is 7 p.m. After that, DHS plays in the Dixon Ram Jam beginning Dec. 26 against Vacaville.