By Michael Letendre

BRISTOL – There will be better days ahead for the Bristol Eastern girls basketball team over the second half of the season.

Unfortunately on Tuesday evening, that wasn’t going to be one of those days for the Kingstreeters.

The Lancers bumped up against CCC power Conard and dropped a tough 46-28 interdivisional decision to fall to 7-9 on the year.

The Red Wolves improved to 12-3 overall, winning their third consecutive game and five of its past six.

Conard’s Emily Knowles led all scorers with 23 points, Callie Cosgrove added 12, and Courtney McPhee nabbed 11.

No other players scored for the Red Wolves that evening.

Autumn Udoh led the scoring charge for Eastern with seven points, Taigan Parent netted six while the returning Jayle Evins-Mosley contributed five.

Vanessa Drury added four points for the Lancers.

The programs traded hoops over the first two minutes of the game as the programs jockeyed for position.

Udoh opened the scoring with two hoops, followed by a Vanessa Drury drive for a basket, as the Lancers led 6-5 early.

But Conard was tough on defense, hit the offensive glass, put up concussive points, and off that one-point deficit, the visitors made its run to take the lead for good.

The Red Wolves went on an 8-0 jaunt – making it a 13-6 game – before two Drury charity tosses trimmed the deficit to five with 1:52 remaining in the stanza.

The Lancers trailed 15-8 after one quarter but was shutout from scoring during second period play.

Conard outscored Eastern 12-0 over the second stanza and at the half, the Red Wolves held an imposing 31-8 edge. 

Parent kicked in a hoop at the 5:12 mark of the third quarter, breaking the scoreless streak, but Conard continued its onslaught as Red Wolves scooped up a 40-15 advantage after three periods of play.

The Lancers outscored Conard 13-6 over the final eight minutes of the evening but in the end, the home squad absorbed a tough 18-point loss with a date against Farmington (Friday, 6 p.m.) on deck in Bristol.

Bristol Eastern Girls Basketball – CCC Interdivisional Tilt

CONARD 46, BRISTOL EASTERN 28

from the Thomas M. Monahan Gymnasium, Bristol 

Conard (12-3)                        15 12 13 6 – 46

Bristol Eastern (7-9)             8 0 7 13 – 28

CONARD (46): Callie Cosgrove 4 3 12, Emily Knowles 11 1 23, Courtney McPhee 5 0 11, Tatiana Harrison 0 0 0, Clara Gaglioti 0 0 0. Totals: 20 4 46.

BRISTOL EASTERN (28): Taigan Parent 3 0 6, Vanessa Drury 1 2 4,  Tavia Swain 0 1 1,  Leah Roy 0 1 1, Amanda Noel 1 0 2, Lauren Ayotte 0 2 2, Jayle Evins-Mosley 2 1 5, Autumn Udoh 3 1 7. Totals: 10 8 28.

Three-point goals: Cosgrove (C), McPhee (C).

Records: Conard 12-3 overall; Bristol Eastern 7-9.