BROOKLYN, NY- For the first time this season Ursuline took on an out of state foe when the Koalas went down to The Post in Greenpoint, Brooklyn to take on Sanford School of Delaware in the marquee matchup of Saturday's play at the Bria Hartley Christmas Classic.

It was a highly anticipated contest that did not disappoint between Ursuline and the defending Delaware state champion Warriors who have begun the year themselves at 4-0. After a bit of a slow opening half Koalas start guard Sonia Citron '21 turned it on in the second half, though Sanford's star Allie Kubek '20 was putting together a great effort herself with the Sanford matching Ursuline bucket for bucket.

The game would need OT to ultimately decide a winner, and while Citron led all scorers with 32 points and 12 rebounds, it was the play and leadership of a still injured Alexa Quirolo '20 that proved to be just as crucial as the duo helped lead Ursuline to what could only be described as a hard fought and gritty 62-57 OT victory over Delaware's best in Sanford.

In front of a crowd that was overflowing with both spectators and college coaches, Ursuline was proving to be more than just Citron in the early going as Quirolo was able to finish cutting inside, while both Meghan Casey '22 and Alexa Mustafaj '21 found driving lanes to beat defenders off the dribble to go up 18-10 in the second quarter.

When Citron picked up her third foul late in the half though the Warriors were able to do more damage on in the inside with Kubick and Kanisa Tucker '20 each finding ways to finish down low, and with Azareya Kilgoe '23 proving to be lightning quick off the dribble it was Sanford getting within striking distance down just 22-21 at the half.

Used to having her way on the floor each time she goes out, Citron admitted that this first half on Saturday was far from what she is used to as some upset feelings started to drift into her mind for a couple seconds when she was forced to the bench with the foul issues.

"I know I was getting a bit frustrated but I knew I just had to reset my mind and get back in the game and help my team get the win," Citron explained.

Scoring just 8 points in the first half of play and saddled with three fouls it seemed it was the whole team early in the third quarter that was a bit more tentative than usual as Kubek scored the first 6 of the half on her own, and when Dallas Pierce '23 connected from way outside the Sanford one point halftime deficit was turned into a 31-24 lead with 1:48 to go in the quarter.

A couple of late Citron buckets got Ursuline within 34-30 going into the final stanza with the Warriors looking to give Ursuline their first loss of the season.

Koalas head coach Beth Wooters wasn't concerned though as she knew it was just a matter of her group calming down and running their sets the way she knew they could, and not allowing the game to continue to be played at the physical way it was. She felt that Sanford was controlling the pace of play and they needed to be able to run out a bit more to get back to playing Ursuline basketball.

That's when Citron showed just why she is among the very best in the country as she would knock down a fadeaway jumper, then square up for an NBA range three ball, followed up by attacking and blowing by a pair of defenders to finish at the rim. It seemed like when the game mattered most it was Citron's time to shine.

Citron had 12 points in the fourth quarter to help get the game tied at 47, but with under a minute to go it was the star wing kicking the ball out and finding an open Quirolo in the corner for a three that gave Ursuline a 50-47 lead. It was an amazing shot for a player in Quirolo just coming back from an ankle injury and still was noticeably limping, with the atmosphere she said carrying her to make the clutch long ball.

"It was the adrenaline and the hype of the game that when Sonia passed it to me, I was ready for it," a hobbling Quirolo said after the game.

There was just 5.2 seconds left with Sanford inbounding from underneath their own basket after a timeout. Wooters said the plan was to close out on anyone who caught the inbounds pass for the Warriors but when Kubek got the ball in the corner she faked and her defender bit giving the Towson bound forward the open look that she nailed to tie the game at 50 and send this one into overtime.

With Kubek's made triple the momentum seemed as if it had shifted right back to Sanford going into the extra session, and while Wooters was prepared to give words of encouragement to her Koalas squad it was the senior leader in Quirolo who spoke up to make sure her team was ready and focused to finish the job.

"I spoke up when we got back to the bench and said she made a shot and everyone makes a shot, hers was a lucky shot but the game isn't over there is still 4 minutes left and we have to show them we are the better team," Quirolo said in explaining what she said to her teammates.

Citron said that Quirolo's passionate words before the OT began was all she needed to hear as she wasn't going to let her team down and allow this one to go against them as she scored the first 6 of the OT session for Ursuline, though Sanford matched the Koalas point for point. That was until Ciara Croker '22 got fouled and hit two FT's with 41 seconds left to make it a two-possession advantage for Ursuline, the first time the Koalas led by that many since the late in the opening half of play.

Once again Kubek would finish on a spin down low to make it 60-57 but the still very much limping Quirolo would fight threw and drain her two big FT's with under 8 seconds to go to seal the deal once and for all as a last second three attempt was off for the Warriors allowing Ursuline to win the battle of unbeatens duel with the Koalas knocking off Sanford School in OT, 62-57.

Along with Citron's 32 points and 12 rebounds it was Quirolo gritting it out through the pain to score 12 points, while also grabbing 7 rebounds, and dishing out 6 assists in what was a big-time performance from her in the Ursuline win. In defeat it was a great effort for Sanford by Kubek who had 23 points and 14 rebounds to lead the way for the top team in the Diamond State who now suffer their first loss of the year.

The win pushes Ursuline now to 6-0 on the season but it wasn't easy to get there. Saturday's game was as tough a game as Wooters says her team has had in some time, just happy to be leaving Brooklyn on the right end of a great game to enter 2020 with more momentum and confidence to move forward with the rest of the way.

"This kind of game builds character for sure," Wooters stated. "We went out there and beat the defending Delaware champions who are a very physical team and we never backed down. We gave it right back to them and we were able to come out today and get a great win."