GIRLS BASKETBALL: Injuries continue to pile up for Lady Indians in loss to West Frankfort

Already playing without two post players, Du Quoin took the floor on Monday night without their leading scorer and wasn't able to overcome her absence in a 57-45 loss at West Frankfort.

Kate Smith, who has topped the Lady Indians in scoring in almost every game this season, is out for an undetermined length of time with a sprained ankle. Her replacement in the starting lineup on Monday, Kat Robison, had to leave the game after suffering a concussion. Both of them will likely be on the bench, along with Grace Haney and Mackenzie Jackson, when DHS (4-4) hosts Pinckneyville (6-2) on Tuesday night.

As for Monday's game, the Lady Redbirds took command early and led 12-2 after the first quarter.

The Lady Indians kept fighting, though, getting 8 second quarter points from Katie Smith and three-pointers from Robison and Alaina Caldwell. West Frankfort took a 30-22 edge into the break.

Du Quoin continued to creep closer in the third period, cutting the lead to 7 heading to the fourth, but Frankfort's Terrilynn Summers and Cali Wright were too much for the Lady Indians. The pair combined for 43 of the Lady Redbirds' 57 points in the game and hit 12-of-13 at the free throw line in the fourth quarter.

Summers finished with a game-high 23 points, Wright had 20.

Katie Smith led Du Quoin with 14 points, Caldwell, Hannah Baxter, Tarynn Mays and Chloe Hill each scored 6, Robison had 5, and Sadie Day 2.