Maccabi Ashdod came all the way back to steal a one-point 56-55 win over Hapoel Lev Jerusalem thanks to Stasha Carey’s basket with under a second to play to send their semifinal series back to the port city for a decisive game five. The reds looked to be in control for the majority of the matchup but Shira HaElion’s team was able to battle back with key baskets down the stretch by Abby Meyers and Carey who rose to the occasion against her former club to win game four after having been down by double digits entering the fourth quarter.

Emily Engstler, Alyssa Baron and Anja Fuchs-Robetin helped the reds to a 35-24 lead at halftime, but Meyers, Dor Saar and Carey were able to will their team back with crucial buckets and stifling defense allowing only 4 points in the final frame to snatch the win.

Meyers scored 20 points, Carey added 12 points and Saar scored 9 points in the win. Engstler scored 14 points, Baron put in 11 points and Fuchs-Robetin scored 10 points in the loss.

Following the Stasha Carey who scored the game winning basket spoke to The Sports Rabbi about the victory, “I was upset that I missed the free throw but when I saw Abby shoot the ball and the ball came off the rim, I knew the job wasn’t done. In that moment I took it upon myself and finished the job. We believed in ourselves a little more, we has a mini-team meeting on the court and we just dug deep. We knew we didn’t want to go home and we took this time to really focus and bring the momentum, bring the energy and bring the defense.”

Carey also spoke about the upcoming game five, “Going into our next couple of practices we will have to be focussed, come prepared and bring the energy ion Monday because this is do or die. I’m excited about the game but we have to come with a lot more energy than we have in the past.”

Hapoel Jerusalem came out firing on all cylinders as Emily Engstler went from the outside inside while Tiffany Mitchell, Alyssa Baron and Anja Fuchs-Robetin all found points to counter Abby Meyers who scored for Ashdod as the Reds grabbed a 20-11 lead after ten minutes of play. Baron, Engstler and Mitchell all filled the basket to bump the lead up, Meyers and Stasha Carey responded, Fuchs-Robetin scored but baskets by Stephanie Watts closed the gap to 35-24 at halftime.

Engstler opened the third quarter up with a jumper, Meyers and Dor Saar each went from deep to ignite the visitors, Carey scored inside, Kseniya Malashka added points in the paint before fouling out and Saar tied the game up at 38-38 but Shir Tirosh with a triple and a deuce gave Limor Peleg’s squad a 51-41 lead after thirty minutes of action.

Watts began the final frame with points, Meyers hit a turnaround jumper, May Revach put in a layup and Carey scored, Fuchs-Robetin came back with points but Meyers drilled home a triple to knot the game up at 53-53 with 2:28 left in regulation time. Engstler hit a pair from the line but then missed two as well as Carey split her free throws and scored with under a second left to give Shira HaElion’s team the lead for good and send the series back to Ashdod for a decisive game five.