Sterling, VA (February 3, 2023) - On senior night, the Dominion Titans were probably hoping for a relatively easy celebratory victory over the visiting Loudoun County Captains, a young team struggling for Dulles District wins. With the playoffs looming, both teams needed to gain some momentum for the post-season push.
Chas Sumser Photography was there to capture the action and emotion and posted a gallery of images from the game.
Early on, the Titans could not shake the Captains. Midway through the first period the score was tied, 5-5, and neither team seemed ready to take off. But County suddenly surged to their first lead of the night, 10-7.
With her team now trailing, Dominion's Lexi Gregory hit a huge three-pointer, was fouled, and completed a rare four-point play to give the Titans a lead they would never relinquish, 11-10, as the quarter ended.
In the second period, Dominion's defense went into high gear and held Loudoun County scoreless for all but the last minute of the half. In the meantime, the Titans Katie Christ steered her team to expand the lead at the break, 16-13.
Dominion's grip on the game continued to grow in the third period with contributions from virtually the entire bench. With County's offense stifled by the aggressive Titan inside game, the hosts opened up the largest lead of the night, 29-18, and seemed well on the way to the win. But a buzzer beater to end the quarter, from Zoe Ward, brought the Captains to within ten points, 29-20, and altered the flow of the game heading into the final period.
Ward opened the fourth quarter with another basket, and the Captains gradually whittled the Dominion lead down to three points with a minute remaining in the game. But the Titans dominated time of possession the rest of the way, and the Captains could not find the tying basket they needed.
Final Score: Dominion 37 - Loudoun County 34
