I think our fire and desire to win the game made us play better as a team.

I came out focused. I wanted to play hard. I think scoring my threes let me score more in the paint. Plus, the size advantage helped.

Coach talked to us at halftime about when you think about it, one play in a big game, one mental mistake, can cost us. So many of us are so hungry for playing time, we know that coach can easily replace us if we make that mental mistake. I just took it as another learning experience in college basketball. And in the second half, I calmed down. I'm learning to take what they give me.

He was ready to play again. Good for us, bad for the Fire Department.

They out-hit us. We had no offense. They played with just that desire. They played aggressively. They didn't play scared. They played like champions. They out-hit and they out-played us.

The percentage is reduced each year, until after five years the fire department is able to continue on with paid staffing with it's own funding. At a time when volunteer fire departments across the nation are struggling to obtain new volunteers, this cut really hurts. It means fire departments will have to look to the public for even more support.