The Ballard women's basketball team welcomed Class 4A No. 5 Carlisle to the Hangar on Tuesday night, battling the top-five Wildcats in a hard-fought contest before falling 44–35.

The Bombers matched Carlisle punch for punch early, ending the first quarter tied at 9–9.  Ballard continued to compete defensively in the second quarter, holding the high-powered Wildcats to just five points.  An 8–5 scoring edge in the period gave Ballard a 17–14 halftime lead and energized the home crowd.

Carlisle responded coming out of the locker room, using a 20-point third quarter to swing momentum.  The Wildcats capitalized on transition opportunities and second-chance points to build separation, while Ballard struggled to find rhythm offensively during the stretch.

The Bombers showed resilience in the fourth quarter, outscoring Carlisle 14–10, but the early third-quarter surge proved too much to overcome. 

Ballard moves to 5–12 overall and 4–8 in conference play.

The Bombers will look to build off the strong first half as they hit the road Friday night, traveling to No. 14 ADM with varsity action set to begin at 6:00 PM.

Photo Credit: Kevin Rowedder