In Hill-Murray’s season debut, the Pioneers defeated Totino-Grace 51-39, handing the Eagles their third straight loss and third double-digit loss of the 2022-23 season.
Hill-Murray’s first-game jitters were evident through its multiple turnovers, but through pivotal defensive stops, resilient efforts and consistent scoring, the Pioneers came back from a double-digit deficit while creating runs of their own.
Hill-Murray defeated Totino-Grace 51-39 at Hill-Murray high school on Thursday.
The Pioneers won the first game of their season while handing the Eagles their third consecutive loss, breaking a two-game winning streak Totino-Grace had on Hill-Murray coming into the game.
Hill-Murray's sophomore guard Elise Groppoli scored 10 points and senior forward Payton Mackley scored 12 to lead their team past Totino-Grace. The Eagles' senior forward Abby Lord scored eight points to lead the visitors.
The game was tightly contested with plenty of turnovers and missed free throws, evident in a 18-18 tie at the half. Hill-Murray shook off their opening-game jitters to come back and outscore the Eagles by 12 in the second half on their way to a victory.
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