After going 6-1 in their first seven games, the varsity girls basketball team then went on to lose four straight. But, in their most recent game, against Oakville (5-8), the team came out with a victory scoring 53 points, while only allowing Oakville to scrounge up 46. The team was led by freshmen Kayla Carpenter and her 14 points.

Carpenter has played in every game this year except one and has slowly started to emerge as a rising star in the Lafayette girls basketball program.

She is averaging 4.5 points per game and is shooting 30.8 percent from the field as well as 45.5 percent from the line. Carpenter lives on three point shots as 41 of her 52 shots taken have been from behind the arc.

“Kayla Carpenter has been one our three point weapons this year,” Interim Head Coach Ashley Lewis said. “She has hit some key three’s in some of our games. It always seems to happen at the right moment. She is clutch!”

Lewis currently holds the record of the most three point shots made in a girls basketball season at Lafayette, which is 54. Carpenter is at 12 right now and with 11 games left in the season, not counting any postseason games at the moment, she would have to make four three point shots per game to break Lewis’s record. While this season doesn’t seem to be a record breaking year, although still possible, Carpenter still has three more years at Lafayette, giving her plenty of time to break the record.

“I have a feeling that my three point record for most three’s in a season is in jeopardy before her time at LHS is up,” Lewis said.

Carpenter’s recent outburst comes at no surprise. In her last five games she is averaging eight points per game, and has been lighting up the field with her dagger three pointers.

“I feel that Kayla is going to have more performances like this in the future because she works her butt off,” Lewis said. “Besides being an excellent shooter, she also handles the ball well under pressure. I have been very pleased with how well she has stepped up and been a huge asset to our varsity team this year!”

The team’s next game is the day of the fundraiser for David Witter, who is locked in a battle with throat cancer. The team has organized the event and been raising money for Witter throughout the week.

“As far as Friday, I know we will be pumped for a great night of basketball,” Lewis said. “The girls have worked so hard and are very excited about the fundraiser for Coach Witter. We might even have Coach (Witter) back on our bench for the night.”

You can see the team in action this Friday, Jan. 20, against Mehlville at home starting at 5:30 p.m. Be sure to attend the event and support Witter and his battle with cancer and don’t forget to keep an eye out for the rising stars on the Lady Lancers basketball team as they are bound to put on a show.