Remember When?: Leps complete local sweep with 63-55 win over Ringgold

By MARK KABOLY

For the Valley Independent

CARROLL TOWNSHIP – It was much more than just another exhibition game when the Belle Vernon Area Lady Leps traveled to Ringgold.

It was a matchup between two teams that got off to fast starts so far this year as BVA carried a 5-3 overall record into the game and the Lady Rams sported an impressive 6-1 slate.

But you can throw the records out the window when two keen rivals like these get together.

And for BVA, there was an extra hit of incentive.

“We wanted this game pretty bad,” said Belle Vernon Area head coach Len Volpi. “We wanted to sweep our series with the local teams, Ringgold and Monessen.”

The Lady Leps dropped Monessen, 71-49, earlier in the season.

And Volpi got his wish as the Lady Leps beat the Lady Rams, 63-55, behind the play of sophomore center Sasha Zuro.

Zuro put together a triple-double as she scored 19 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and blocked 10 shots in the game.

“They physically outplayed us and outhustled us,” said a disappointed Ringgold head coach Joe Ravasio, who saw his team’s winning streak snapped at four games. “They did what they had to do to win the game. They got the ball inside to the post and Sasha had an MVP game.”

The Lady Leps (6-3) jumped out early on the Lady Rams (6-2) behind the long-range shooting of Renee Matz.

Matz hit two shots from behind the 3-point line to give BV Area a 20-11 lead by the end of the first quarter.

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