Lowell Forces 26 Turnovers, Defeats Andrean 41–26 by Scotty Forrester Freelance Reporter Saturday afternoon, the 10–6 Lowell Lady Red Devils traveled to Andrean and used relentless defense to defeat the 59ers, 41–26. Lowell forced 26 turnovers on the day, turning pressure defense into a decisive conference victory. Leading the way was center Gatlin Hanrath, who dominated both ends of the floor. Hanrath scored 13 points and altered countless shots in the paint, making it difficult for Andrean head coach Tony Scheub to find consistent scoring opportunities inside. Lowell’s aggressive 2–2–1 press proved to be the difference, creating havoc throughout the game and making life easier for head coach Kelly Chavez and her squad. The Red Devils jumped out to an 11–9 lead after the first quarter. Guard Aubrey Fleming opened the scoring with a three-pointer from the corner, setting the tone early. Andrean briefly took a 7–5 lead at the 2:33 mark when sophomore guard Delaney Myers knocked down two free throws, but Lowell quickly responded. Hanrath grabbed an offensive rebound and found Brooke Dawson for a basket to tie the game at 7–7. Moments later, Dawson came up with a steal and converted two free throws to give Lowell a 9–7 lead with 1:43 remaining. Another Andrean turnover led to a Hanrath score, pushing the advantage to 11–7 before Myers scored late to cut it to 11–9 at the end of one. The second quarter was all Lowell defense. The Red Devils’ press completely disrupted Andrean, allowing no field goals in the period. Lowell outscored the 59ers 8–1 to take a 19–10 lead into halftime, as Andrean committed nine turnovers in the quarter and 15 in the first half. Andrean opened the third quarter with some momentum when Lailoni Staten hit a corner three to make it 19–13. Dawson then took control on both ends, igniting a Lowell run that extended the lead to 26–15 after sophomore Ellasondra Labas came off the bench to knock down a three-pointer. Andrean forward Charlee Murray provided a spark with a strong drive to the basket, and the 59ers forced a pair of turnovers to cut the deficit to 26–20 on a jumper by Mia Krueger with just under two minutes left in the quarter. Sloppy possessions by both teams followed, and no further scoring occurred as Lowell held a 26–20 lead heading into the fourth. The final eight minutes belonged to the Red Devils. Lowell scored the first seven points of the quarter, with Dawson and Hanrath showcasing excellent chemistry and spacing to generate easy baskets at the rim. Fleming added two free throws as the lead ballooned to 33–20. Lowell pulled away over the final four minutes, closing out a convincing 41–26 win—its 11th of the season. After the game, Tatum Claus, who anchors the interior defense alongside Hanrath, spoke about the importance of the conference win. “We all felt we gave one away against Highland in our last game, so today playing another conference opponent we wanted to get back on track. Our press really bothered them, especially in the second quarter when we forced 15 turnovers in the first half. We’re trying to get better one game at a time so when sectionals come around, we’ll be ready to defend the title.” Hanrath echoed those sentiments after another strong performance. “Any time you get a conference win is big. After a one-point loss to Highland, we knew we needed to come out ready, and our defense really showed that by forcing 26 turnovers. When we space the floor and Brooke is able to attack gaps, it makes it easier for me to score inside. Our fourth-quarter spacing showed how dangerous we can be when everyone does their job. If we play as a unit of five, I believe we can compete with just about anyone.” Lowell will look to build on the win as it continues preparing for the postseason.