The Packers were overwhelmed by the Sparta Spartans at home on Tuesday night, losing 53-9. It looked like a good start when the Packers opened the scoring with a Haley Zerlaut driving basket and ensuing free throw to take a 3-0 lead. However, those would be the only Packer points of the entire first half. Sparta led 23-3 after one and 39-3 at halftime. They out-rebounded the Packers 18-7 in the opening half and shot 9-32 from the field, compared to the Packers' 1-16. Fremont also turned it over 17 times in the opening half. 

Sparta held an 8-2 scoring advantage in the third quarter, and a 6-3 advantage in the fourth. Sparta had a trio of players score in double figures, with Peot scoring 17, Vallone 16, and Hatchew 13. The Packers are now off until January 7th. 

"We expected Sparta to come out in a physical and aggressive fashion, but we did not handle it well. Kudos to them. They play the game the right way. They dressed 7 players, but they got after it. They were aggressive on both ends of the floor and we didn't match their intensity, either mentally or physically. We all need to do a better job, coaches and players alike. We were short-handed tonight, but we did not play well. We are better than what we put on display tonight, and I need to figure out how to get more out of the girls."