By Cooper Zablocki and Madison Helvie

The Atlantic Trojans battled the Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln Lynx in their first game of the season.  The Trojans fell short 43-24 in their home opener.

In the first quarter Atlantic only had 3 points to AL’s 14, creating quite the deficit early on.  Sophomore Erin Olsen’s swishing three-pointer was the only score on the board for the Trojans at the start of the second quarter.  The Trojans put up 8 points in the second, making it 22 to 11 with the Lynx on top as the teams trotted into the locker room for halftime.

With Bailey Walter as the only senior for Atlantic, the Trojans are a very young team.  Olsen had 6 points total and freshman Catherine Leonard also had 6 points. Leonard and Olsen were the team’s leading scorers.  Sophomore Meghan Reilly and junior Alyssa Siggins both had 4 points.

Head Coach Casey Pelzer said the Trojans showed strengths in rebounding and in the half-court defense.  Pelzer believed a difference in the game was the absence of Tiffany Williams, a sophomore, due to a sprained ankle.  According to Pelzer the team needed to take care of the ball better because the Trojans has too many turnovers. Junior Macey Schmitt said the team was very nervous at the beginning and that caused them stupid mistakes. “It was first game nerves,” Schmitt added about the loss. Schmitt believes they won’t be as nervous and they’re ready for Denison in their first Hawkeye 10 action of the season.

Dension finished the 2012-13 season fifth in the conference; Atlantic finished tenth, with a 4-18 record.  Pelzer said he “Would like to see the players improve,” against Denison.

Atlantic is a new, young team this year so come out and watch the Trojans take on the Monarchs in a fierce game.