Point taken as Prospect handles Elk Grove

There were two girls who have scored more than 1,000 points for Prospect girls basketball in the Jean Walker Field House on Friday night.

One was on the floor, and one was in the stands.

Junior Taylor Will scored a game-high 19 points as former Prospect star Gabrielle Cottrell-Lovin visited her old field house, where the Knights posted a 55-27 victory over Elk Grove.

Will, who recently became the seventh player in Prospect history to reach 1,000, had one of the Knights’ five 3-pointers in the second half which helped the hosts pull away to the Mid-Suburban East triumph.

Cottrell-Lovin, whose 1,304 points make her the second all-time leading scorer in school history, was in town from Florida with her 5-month old daughter Tessa Robin.

Prospect (18-4, 4-2) led 22-12 with 6:32 left in the third quarter.

That’s when the Knights proceeded to fire home four consecutive 3-point baskets (two from freshman Haley Will and one apiece by senior Mallory Gonzalez and Taylor Will), followed by a 3-point play by Taylor Will to lead 37-16 after three quarters.

Gonzalez carried the long-range clinic into the next period when she opened it up with her second 3-pointer.

“They did a nice job collapsing on our defense and getting the ball out to their shooters,” said Elk Grove coach Kathie Swanson. “Give them credit.”

“Our coach (Ashley Graham) kind of motivated us to play for our other girls,” Gonzalez said. “We wanted to work hard for them so they could get in the game.”

As usual, junior Catherine Sherwood worked hard driving to the basket for 11 points while Gonzalez finished with 8 and Haley Will 6.

Senior Marissa Pacini added 4 points and added her usual hustle in all phases of the game.

The Knights’ four 3-pointers were the most they’ve scored in one quarter this season.

“I think confidence is the key in knowing we can make them,” Gonzalez added. “We work on them a lot when we do guard/post breakdowns in practice. It gives us a lot of individual time to work on those skills.”

Junior Amber Lindfors worked hard for 9 rebounds along with her 6 points for Elk Grove (6-15, 1-5).

Melissa Solorio, Sarah Pauscher and Cassie Slattery also chipped in 6 points for the Grens, who a week earlier won their first conference game against Buffalo Grove.

“I was hoping that game (56-55 win) would be the turning point,” Swanson added. “I was really disappointed with the energy and execution. I feel like we continue to shoot ourselves in the foot.”

Taylor Will’s shooting at the free throw line was also efficient where she was 8-of-9, including four straight in the final quarter.

Will made a free throw to start the game and the Knights never trailed.

They built a 7-0 lead and 15-6 cushion after one quarter thanks to Pacini’s 17-footer just before the buzzer.

“I wasn’t disappointed with the first-half effort at all,” Graham said. “Holding them to 11 points, I was extremely happy. At half, we talked about slowing it down and limiting our turnovers. Credit to the kids. They did exactly what we talked about with no letdowns.”