Girls Basketball Remains Unbeaten with Win Over Union

SUMMIT – When a team is held scoreless in the opening quarter of play, it can be difficult for them to mount a comeback and win. Such was the case when Union High School fell to the Summit High School girls basketball team 41-22 Saturday.

Summit (6-0) was aggressive on both offense and defense throughout the game. Hilltopper Emily Cristaldi had seven first quarter points, including a nice give-and-go from Cassie Hall for a layup. Point guard Kate Martino got one of her four assists when she sent a bullet pass cross-court for a Cristaldi 18-footer. Martino handled the gaps in Union's zone defense well, penetrating and kicking out to open teammates.

"We played well against their 3-2 zone. We stayed patient and got the shots we wanted," said Summit head coach Brian Erickson.

Near the end of the first quarter, sophomore Kelly Osmulski came up with a nice steal and layup, followed quickly by another Cristaldi layup.

Union (4-5) had quick guards and tall post players, but despite their athleticism, the visiting team was unable to score in the first quarter. After eight minutes of play, the Hilltoppers led 10-0.

"Union is a good team," Erickson said. "They took good shots–good form, good elevation–they just weren't dropping."

With 6:21 remaining in the first half, Union junior Janiesha Allen put her team on the scoreboard with a layup. However, Allen is a familiar face to the Hilltoppers: she played basketball for two years at Summit High before transferring to Union. She finished the game with a team-high 8 points.

Summit forward Cassie Hall made her presence known throughout the game, but particularly in the second quarter, when she battled for several rebounds and initiated multiple Hilltopper fast breaks with crisp outlet passes. Hall had 16 rebounds (8 offensive, 8 defensive) on the afternoon.

"Cassie always has fun out there," Erickson explained. "But she's also a tough force inside, and when she comes to play, it's always 'game on.' She loves basketball, and she's truly showing that this season. It's fun to watch."

With three minutes remaining in the first half, Kate Martino converted a nice play when she dribbled through three Union players and hit a soft floater in the lane. One minute later, Martino snatched an offensive rebound and hit another jump shot. Before the buzzer could sound, Hall grabbed a rebound and converted the put-back to make the halftime score 21-9.

Summit's confidence continued in the third quarter. Cristaldi got the ball rolling by knocking down a three-pointer at the 7-minute mark. The Hilltoppers were able to get several quick points by rebounding the ball and starting quick, but controlled, fast breaks.

Halfway through the third, Hall scrambled for a rebound and sent an outlet to Martino, who then laid off a nice bounce pass to Cristaldi for the layup. This was the story of the third quarter. Summit held Union to just two points in the quarter to lead 32-11.

In the fourth, Summit's Michelle Burian and Olivia Galuppo played quality minutes and contributed to the Hilltopper victory. Though Union went on an 8-0 run late in the fourth when Allen and Enniyah Anderson each hit a pair of layups, Summit was victorious, 41-22. Cristaldi led all scorers with 20 points.

"My expectation is always that we play hard," added Erickson. "Our perimeter defense helped us manage their size. Defense is where we get all of our opportunities, and I think that's the best defense we've played in a long time."

The Hilltoppers hope to continue their unbeaten streak when they travel to Scotch Plains on Thursday. Game time is 4 p.m.