Girls Varsity Basketball | 2/25/2025 9:29:00 AM
The Union Catholic offense kicked into high gear with a huge run in overtime to propel the Lady Vikings to a 44-38 victory over Gov. Livingston to clinch the Mountain Division Championship on Monday in Scotch Plains.
UC outscored GL, 16-10 in the overtime period to secure the Mountain Division title in the Union County Conference with a divisional record of 9-2. It's the first division championship for the Lady Vikings since sharing the Mountain Division title with New Providence in the 2019-2020 season.
This was the final regular-season game for the Lady Vikings, who will take a 17-8 record into a matchup with Our Lady of Mercy this Friday at 5 p.m. UC in the first round of the NJSIAA Non-Public A South Tournament.
UC overcame a six-point deficit in the fourth quarter before forcing overtime on a free throw by freshman guard Sophie Peterson. In overtime, UC's tenacious defense led to several transition points as the Lady Vikings pulled away for the much-needed and memorable victory.
UC's Emily Mattson led all scorers with 16 points, including a clutch 3-pointer and five free throws. She also contributed 8 rebounds and 3 steals. Hailey Mullaney was a force on both ends of the floor, grabbing 10 rebounds and adding 9 points. Gabby Ziegenbalg also had a strong game for UC, scoring 14 points and coming up with 6 steals. Lentia Hasan's defensive presence was felt throughout the game for UC, recording 13 rebounds and 3 steals.
