Sophomore Kayla McClendon breezes by her defender. (Riley Hennessy’20/Media)

Coming into last week with a 4-7 record of the season, the Academy girls basketball team took on Delaware Christian and Horizon Science Academy after a matchup against league rival Worthington Christian was postponed.

On Tuesday, January 15, the Vikes traveled to Delaware, looking to stay in the win column. But problems with rebounds and missed shots continued to plague CA, and the Eagles picked up a 50-42 victory.

The Vikings struggled from the field, connecting on only 32% of their 2-point attempts and 15% of their shots from beyond the 3-point line. A bright spot came in the form of sophomore Kayla McClendon, who paced Academy with 13 points.

A week full of practice and shooting drills preceded the Vikes’ home game against Horizon Science. The preparation paid off. CA thumped the Hawks in its largest margin of victory this year, 56-26. Freshman Sophie Spolter led the offensive attack with 19 points on 66% shooting, and the Vikings strung together a dominant defensive performance on the other end.

With a confidence-building win in tow, Academy will look for more victories when it hosts Independence on Wednesday, January 23, before hitting the road to clash with archrival Bexley on Friday, January 25.