Third Time Not The Charm For Muskego Girls Basketball Team

Nothing is more difficult in the game of basketball than beating the same team three times in one season.

The Muskego girls basketball team found that out on Thursday night.

The top-seeded Warriors trailed for most of the contest in a season-ending 62-50 loss to Franklin in a WIAA Division 1 sectional semifinal at Burlington.

Muskego (18-6) defeated the rival Sabers, 44-32 and 67-55, during Southeast Conference play this season.

Fourth-seeded Franklin (16-8) got its payback on Thursday and will play second-seeded Janesville Craig (20-4) in the sectional final on Saturday at Burlington.

Cassidy Mihalko (16), Taylor Atkinson (14) and Jenny Eickhorst (13) all scored in double figures to lead the Sabers.

Junior guard Jessica Mlachnik led Muskego with 12 points and fellow juniors Kaitylyn Hein and Shannon Riley chipped in nine apiece. Northern Michigan recruit Alyssa Colla, who entered the contest averaging a team-high 17.6 points, faced gimmick defenses all night and was shut out in the first three quarters. She finished with eight points.

Although the Warriors were always within striking distance, they trailed from the middle of the opening quarter.

Facing a 16-13 deficit going into the second quarter, Muskego fell behind 28-17 at halftime. Trailing by as many as 13 points, the Warriors still faced a double-digit deficit after three quarters at 34-24.

That's when the Warriors made their move.

Baskets by senior Elissa Albert and Hein made it a four-point game midway through the final quarter, but the Warriors would get no closer.

Jenny Coenen and Eickhorst both drained key 3-pointers down the stretch to help the Sabers regain their double-digit advantage. Franklin sealed its victory at the free-throw line and ended up shooting 82 percent (18 of 22).