HERKIMER – The Sherburne-Earlville Lady Marauders fell just short of the win Monday, losing a 43-42 non-league contest to the Herkimer Magicians after battling to gain a lead late in the game.

In the final eight minutes of play, S-E took the lead with four points by Tessa Cole and Sage Ashton. However, the tides changed and the momentum went in favor of Herkimer with 3:32 left.

Alana Ferri of the Magicians scored four straight points to close the Marauders lead down to one. Cole then scored with two minutes left but it was the last basket scored by a Sherburne-Earlville player for the game.

Eliza Marusic scored four points in the late minutes of play, giving Herkimer the one points lead with 25 seconds left. The S-E team had two scoring chances but were unable to put the ball through the net to pull off the comeback bid.

Sherburne-Earlville trailed by five at the end of the first quarter. In the second, they were able to put together a 5-0 run towards the end to close the deficit down to three points as the two teams went into the locker room at halftime.

The start of the third was all the Marauders as Ashton knocked down a 3-pointer to tied the game. Her next basket gave S-E the lead for the first time since the early minutes of the game.

Ashton finished the game with 12 points and Cole recorded a team-high 18 points. Kaitlyn Furner added nine for the Marauders.

Herkimer was led by Ferri’s game-high 19 points and colleague Marusic chipped in 11.

Sherburne-Earlville (7-5, 2-2) hosts Hamilton Thursday for a non-league contest. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Herkimer 43, Sherburne-Earlville 42

S-E 12 13 9 8 – 42

Herk 17 11 6 9 – 43

Sherburne-Earlville: Sage Ashton 5 0-0-12; Kaitlyn Furner 3 3-10-9; Jaci Wright 1 0-0-2; Amberlyn Robertson 0; Tessa Cole 8 0-0-18; Maria Albertina 0; Jamie Cummings 0; Mackenzie Holmes 0 1-2-1; Destinee Posey 0. TOTALS: 17 4-12-42.

Herkimer: Selena Reinhardt 1 0-0-3; Karlie Helmer 2 0-0-4; Alana Ferri 6 4-5-19; Cassie Gilbert 0; Marion Leskover 1 0-0-2; Eliza Marusic 5 1-1-11; Abigail Staph 1 0-0-2; Ally Kirkpatrick 1 0-0-2; Jenson Ford 0; Peyton McKinney 0. TOTALS: 17 5-6-43.

Fouled out: None. 3-point goals: (S-E) Ashton 2, Cole 2; (H) Ferri 3, Reinhart 1. Officials: Mosher and Sisti. JV: Herkimer won, 33-21.