The Clinton County Lady Bulldogs played Russell County Thursday night, which was a make up from the January 13 game that was called off due to weather.

The Lady Bulldogs played well and gave Russell County a close game, but couldn’t hold on in the end as the Lady Lakers took the win, 41-33.

Clinton County came to win Thursday night and seeing the Lady Dawgs take the floor, a win was their only priority at Russell County High School.

The Lady Dawgs played Russell County close throughout the entire game and the game was much closer than the final score depicted.

During the first half, the game was tied six times, with Clinton County taking the early lead in the first quarter.

Ansley Stalcup hit one of two from the free throw line to score the first point of the game.

Russell County tied it up on a free throw of its own, but a field goal by Veronica Lowhorn gave the Lady Dawgs a two point edge more than a minute into the game.

The game went back and forth during the first quarter with the lead never being more than three points for either team.

Clinton County led by three with 2:46 on the clock, 7-4, Russell County hit two free throws to cut the lead to one point just before the first quarter ended, 7-6.

During the second quarter, Clinton County continued to give Russell County a hard time on the defensive side of the floor.

In the two teams’ previous meeting on December 16, 2011, Russell County defeated the Lady Dawgs, 57-41.

This time around was a different story for Clinton County.

With the lead moving between the two teams, Clinton County took another three point lead with 6:14 on the clock in the second quarter, 19-16. Russell County answered with a 4-0 run to lead by one point, but a basket by Stalcup gave the Lady Dawgs a one point advantage with 4:21 remaining before halftime.

Russell County tied the score on a free throw, but a free throw by Breonia Thurman and a basket by Tara Elmore sent the Lady Dawgs up by three with 2:40 on the clock, 24-21.

Russell County scored three points to tie the game for the eighth time and took the lead on a free throw to end the third quarter, 25-24.

Russell continued with its run in the fourth quarter and hit two more free throws and a field goal for a five point lead, 29-24.

The Lady Dawgs struggled in the early part of the fourth quarter which allowed Russell County to grab an eight point lead with 5:14 remaining in the game, 32-24.

Two free throws by Justice Boils cut the lead to six points, but three more points by Russell County gave the team a nine point lead with 3:32 on the clock.

Clinton County committed a foul sending Russell County to the line where LeeAnn Grider hit two of two for an 11 point Russell County lead, 37-26.

Clinton County could never recover from the double digit lead to regain control of the game. The Lady Dawgs finished the game with an eight point loss, 41-33.

With the loss, the Lady Dawgs move to 6-14 on the year, with a 2-4 district record, which will put Clinton County as a number three seed in the district tournament.

Individual scoring for Clinton County was:

Thurman 13

Lowhorn 7

Stalcup 6

J. Boils 2

Elmore 2

McWhorter 2

Langford 1

The Lady Dawgs will be back in action on Tuesday night as it hosts McCreary County at Lindle Castle Gymnasium. The junior varsity is set to start around 5:30 p.m.