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Ashley McMurtrey scored 21 points and Jenna Kirk added 13 points and 18 rebounds to lead Oldham County to a convincing 58-37 victory over Gallatin County on Thursday in Eighth Region quarterfinal action at North Oldham High School.

The Colonels improved to 16-12. The Wildcats' season ended at 27-6. Was Oldham County head coach Jace Bryant expecting a 21-point victory?

"No," he smiled. "They're a really good team. They were one of the highest-scoring teams in the state and we held them to 37. That had a lot to do with our defense and a lot to do with them having an off shooting night. It was a great night for the Lady Colonels."

Oldham County jumped out to a 9-2 lead on a McMurtrey 3-pointer and led 13-4 after one period. Gallatin County cut it to 15-11, but Kirk led a 12-2 run for the Lady Colonels with eight points and Oldham led 27-13. Gallatin scored the last four points of the first half to go into the locker room trailing 27-17.

The Wildcats had one last push left, scoring eight of the first 12 points in the third period to cut it to 31-25. But a three-point play by McMurtrey triggered a 12-4 Oldham County run to close the period with the Colonels leading 43-29.

"Ashley's just a great player," said Bryant. "She works hard. She shoots the ball more than anyone on the team after practice, and she can really put it in the hole. And Jenna went from playing JV at the start of the year to being our leading rebounder at the end of the year."

With McMurtrey hitting outside and Kirk dominating inside, the Wildcats had no chance to close the gap. They were outscored 15-8 in the final period, never getting closer than 12 points the rest of the way.

"Our strategy was to attack the rim whether it was by the dribble or the pass," said Bryant.

So now the Colonels, who got off to a really slow start this season and at one point lost eight games by six points or less, advance.

"It took us all year to learn my style, what we want to do offensively and defensively," Bryant said. "We've become a pretty good team, I think."

Oldham Co. 13 14 16 15 - 58
Gallatin Co. 4 13 12 8 - 37

Oldham Co. (16-12) - McMurtrey 21, Kirk 13, Leanhart 12, Henderson 8, Stewart 4.

Gallatin Co. (27-6) - Satchwell 9, B. Dossett 8, H. Dossett 7, M. Hignite 6, Bowen 4, Wesley 3.

3-point goals - McMurtrey 2, Leanhart 1.

http://www.usatodayhss.com/louisville/ar...3302280101