Candace Ferguson and Sara Hacker are big trouble. Make that BIG trouble.

Ferguson, a 6-foot senior, and Hacker, a 6-1 freshman, combined for 33 points as the Ironton Lady Fighting Tigers beat the Chesapeake Lady Panthers 46-28 Monday.

Ferguson scored 20 points and Hacker 13 as Ironton improved to 6-0 on the season.

The Lady Tigers, now 6-0, were led by Candace Ferguson with 20 points and Sara Hacker scored 13.

Andrea Rudmann had six rebounds and four assists while Ashley Hannon had seven steals and five rebounds.

"Our team game is coming," Ironton coach Amy Hughes said. "That was our best game playing team basketball. We were looking for each other. We created shots for each other, we just didn't hit them. In fact, we might have been too unselfish."

Chesapeake was led by Brittany Boyle with 14 points as she made four 3-pointers. Lisa Perry had seven steals and two assists, and Joanna Delimpo grabbed five rebounds.

Ironton jumped out to a 9-0 lead and led 10-5 at the end of the first quarter. But Chesapeake closed the gap to 23-19 at the half.

Ferguson and Hacker scored all Ironton's first half points.

The Lady Tigers came back the third quarter to go up 33-24 and then held Chesapeake to 4 points the fourth quarter.

"We were playing well and knocking down some shots, but then the second half we missed little shots in the paint and started turning the ball over," Panthers coach Chad Belville said.

Chesapeake was 3 of 24 in the paint. The Lady Panthers did not shoot a foul shot.

"Defensively, we held them to 46 points. We're doing some nice things. We hit some 3s, so we were happy about that. But we need to rebound better and we need to get better offensively," Belville said.

"And give Ironton credit. Ferguson and Hacker know how to finish and they controlled the boards. They got it inside and they hurt us."

Hughes was also pleased with her team's defensive effort.

"Ashley Hannon played a great defensive game. Any time you hold a team to single digits in three quarters and 9 points in a half, you have to be pleased with your defense," Hughes said.

Chesapeake51454--28

Ironton10131013--46

CHESAPEAKE (0-4):

Candace Dickerson 0 1 0-0 3, Lisa Perry 0 1 0-0 3, Veronica Perko 1 0 0-0 2, Brittany Boyle 1 4 0-0 14, Noelle Wood 1 0 0-0 2, Alysson Baise 0 0 0-0 0, Joy Mayenchein 1 0 0-0 2, Joanna Delimpo 1 0 0-0 2. Totals: 5

6

0-0

28. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: Wood. Rebounds: 16 (Delimpo 5). Assists: 3 (Perry 2). Steals: 14 (Perry 7). Turnovers: 19.

IRONTON (6-0):

Andrea Rudmann 3 0 1-2 7, Ashley Hannon 0 0 6-6 6, Candace Ferguson 9 0 2-5 20, Sara Hacker 4 0 5-6 13, Maria Frazer 0 0 0-0 0, Rachel Wylie 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16

0

14-19

46. Fouls: 7. Fouled out: None. Rebounds: 28 (Hacker 9, Rudmann 6, Ferguson 5, Hannon 5). Assists: 13 (Hacker 4, Rudmann 4). Steals: 14 (Hannon 7, Ferguson 3).