After finishing up with the UW-Superior-Northwestern game, I hurried over to Augsburg's Si Melby Hall to catch the opening night of MIAC action and the Gustavus - Augsburg clash. I got seated and settled in at halftime with Augsburg holding a 25-23 lead.
The Auggies looked as if they might have the upper hand at home as the second half got underway. And it was junior guard Jolene Blood who was doing much of the damage for Augsburg as she scored inside at the 19:50 mark and then connected with one of her patented rainbow "3's" at the 17:26 mark; this one from the left wing that upped the Auggie advantage to 30-25. But the Gusties countered behind senior forward Abby Rothenbuehler and surprising freshman post Karina Schroeder and senior Kelsey Florian as they helped Gustavus close to within 31-30 by the 16:02 mark. Then it was Rothenbuehler that brought the Gusties even at 33-all by the 15:17 mark with her score inside and then it was junior reserve Britta Rinke who gave the Gusties the lead for good at 35-33 with her jumper at the 14:49 mark. Gustavus upped that lead to 38-33 by the 13:45 mark when Rothenbuehler connected with a "3" from the left top and then went on a 7-2 run over the next two minutes that really was the difference-maker in this contest. Though the Auggies would briefly make a surge that would close the gap to a scant four points by the midway point of the second half, the Gusties had effectively shut down Auggie senior Brittany Zins in the second half and forced Augsburg to flail away from behind the arc. It was a "pick your poison" type of proposition but it seemed to work out okay for the Gusties on this night anyway as they had built up a 17 point cushion at 57-40 by the 6:09 mark when Florian connected on a short jumper. Blood did her best to give the Auggies some life in the waning moments with two of her cloud-scraping three-point shots but the Gusties would prevail in this one by a final count of 63-52 giving new Gustavus Head Coach Laurie Kelly her first MIAC win and making recent Gustie greats Bri Radtke, Colleen Ruane, Molly Geske, and Liz Shay very happy as they were all in attendance on this night.
Los Angeles Rams
Thursday, November 29, 2012
UW-Superior vs Northwestern 11-28-12
Was over at Northwestern's Ericksen Center last night to take in the 5:30 P.M. non-conference clash between up-and-coming UW-Superior out of the WIAC and host Northwestern from the UMAC. This was my very first look at the UW-Superior squad outside of the summer league and at the end of the night I would come away VERY impressed.
The night started out on a bright note for the host Eagles as junior guard Mollie Sir and sophomore guard Chanel Madson performed an incredibly sweet-sounding duet for the National Anthem that rocked the house. Unfortunately for Northwestern, the shooting touch on this night wasn't quite as solid as the singing was. Still, the Eagles and Yellowjackets were neck-and-neck for the first 8-9 minutes. Sir got the Eagles going first with her jumper in transition at the 18:28 mark and Northwestern increased the lead to 5-2 when Madson was able to score inside and got fouled in the process and made the obligatory freebie at the 17:40 mark. UW-Superior countered with senior forward Hillary Peterson's move inside and a shot the beat the shot clock at the 17:10 mark and a jumper by sophomore sensation Sally Linzmeier (just a hint of things to come from her) at the 16:42 mark. Senior guard Connie Urmanski's "3" at the 16:03 mark gave the Yellowjackets a 9-7 lead but the Eagles came right back when junior forward/post Jessica Fife made a strong move inside at the 15:32 mark to finish. Linzmeier scored on a lay-up in transition at the 14:32 mark and then freshman forward Courtney Cunard connected with a jumper along the right baseline at the 11:50 mark to tie things at 11-all. It LOOKED as if we might have a heckuva battle on our hands at that point.
But, as we all know, looks can be incredibly deceiving sometimes and it was on this night. Junior reserve guard Britnee Blake scored at the 11:30 mark to give the Yellowjackets a 13-11 lead and UW-Superior never looked back as they Yellowjackets proceeded to go on a 15-0 run over the next four minutes that changed the course of the game for good. The run was highlighted by some incredible play by Linzmeier who scored off of one steal at the 10:32 mark and then again was a thief in the night with another steal and lay-up at the 10:26 mark along with a score inside at the 10:12 mark. The only fly in the ointment at the time for UW-Superior was that senior guard Kailee McDonald had picked up three quick (and questionable) fouls during this period although that didn't seem to faze her too much as she calmly banged home a "3" at the 7:51 mark from the top of the key. Linzmeier increased the Yellowjacket lead to 32-13 by the 4:17 mark with yet ANOTHER steal and lay-up before Northwestern finally caught their collective breaths and made a dent into the UW-Superior bulge. Sir connected with another running jumper at the 3:23 mark and then Cunard also connected with a "3" at the 2:32 mark that helped the Eagles slice into the UW-Superior advantage at halftime; down 34-21.
The Sally Linzmeier show made an encore second half performance as well as she helped the Yellowjackets get off to a roaring start after the halftime break. She made a steal and lay-up at the 18:47 mark and grabbed a rebound and got a putback at the 17:18 mark that sandwiched two freebies from the charity stripe at the 18:09 mark.. Down 45-23 at this point, Northwestern tried to respond with a lights out downtown shooting display as Sir, Madson, and Cunard all displayed their three-point prowess within a span of two minutes but each time the Yellowjackets had an answer as they were able to maintain that 16-20 cushion and upped the lead to as much as 25 points by the 5:25 mark. UW-Superior did the damage with a fantastic defensive effort that put a lot of pressure on the Northwestern guards in the half court that really took the Eagles out of their rythm which was really the game in a nutshell. The final 76-55 score really wasn't even that close to be honest. This Yellowjacket team is not your typical WIAC team that beats you down with brute physical brutality a la UW-Stevens Point, UW-Whitewater, UW-River Falls. Rather, this is a speedy, athletic team that can not only get up and down the floor but also wreaks havoc with their defense led by Linzmeier who is an absolute terror on the defensive side. They're not that big either (nobody over 6'0") which actually meshes well with their style of play. They're going to be a force to contend with on the other side of the River and it wouldn't surprise me at all if they make a LOT of noise in the WIAC playoffs come February.
The night started out on a bright note for the host Eagles as junior guard Mollie Sir and sophomore guard Chanel Madson performed an incredibly sweet-sounding duet for the National Anthem that rocked the house. Unfortunately for Northwestern, the shooting touch on this night wasn't quite as solid as the singing was. Still, the Eagles and Yellowjackets were neck-and-neck for the first 8-9 minutes. Sir got the Eagles going first with her jumper in transition at the 18:28 mark and Northwestern increased the lead to 5-2 when Madson was able to score inside and got fouled in the process and made the obligatory freebie at the 17:40 mark. UW-Superior countered with senior forward Hillary Peterson's move inside and a shot the beat the shot clock at the 17:10 mark and a jumper by sophomore sensation Sally Linzmeier (just a hint of things to come from her) at the 16:42 mark. Senior guard Connie Urmanski's "3" at the 16:03 mark gave the Yellowjackets a 9-7 lead but the Eagles came right back when junior forward/post Jessica Fife made a strong move inside at the 15:32 mark to finish. Linzmeier scored on a lay-up in transition at the 14:32 mark and then freshman forward Courtney Cunard connected with a jumper along the right baseline at the 11:50 mark to tie things at 11-all. It LOOKED as if we might have a heckuva battle on our hands at that point.
But, as we all know, looks can be incredibly deceiving sometimes and it was on this night. Junior reserve guard Britnee Blake scored at the 11:30 mark to give the Yellowjackets a 13-11 lead and UW-Superior never looked back as they Yellowjackets proceeded to go on a 15-0 run over the next four minutes that changed the course of the game for good. The run was highlighted by some incredible play by Linzmeier who scored off of one steal at the 10:32 mark and then again was a thief in the night with another steal and lay-up at the 10:26 mark along with a score inside at the 10:12 mark. The only fly in the ointment at the time for UW-Superior was that senior guard Kailee McDonald had picked up three quick (and questionable) fouls during this period although that didn't seem to faze her too much as she calmly banged home a "3" at the 7:51 mark from the top of the key. Linzmeier increased the Yellowjacket lead to 32-13 by the 4:17 mark with yet ANOTHER steal and lay-up before Northwestern finally caught their collective breaths and made a dent into the UW-Superior bulge. Sir connected with another running jumper at the 3:23 mark and then Cunard also connected with a "3" at the 2:32 mark that helped the Eagles slice into the UW-Superior advantage at halftime; down 34-21.
The Sally Linzmeier show made an encore second half performance as well as she helped the Yellowjackets get off to a roaring start after the halftime break. She made a steal and lay-up at the 18:47 mark and grabbed a rebound and got a putback at the 17:18 mark that sandwiched two freebies from the charity stripe at the 18:09 mark.. Down 45-23 at this point, Northwestern tried to respond with a lights out downtown shooting display as Sir, Madson, and Cunard all displayed their three-point prowess within a span of two minutes but each time the Yellowjackets had an answer as they were able to maintain that 16-20 cushion and upped the lead to as much as 25 points by the 5:25 mark. UW-Superior did the damage with a fantastic defensive effort that put a lot of pressure on the Northwestern guards in the half court that really took the Eagles out of their rythm which was really the game in a nutshell. The final 76-55 score really wasn't even that close to be honest. This Yellowjacket team is not your typical WIAC team that beats you down with brute physical brutality a la UW-Stevens Point, UW-Whitewater, UW-River Falls. Rather, this is a speedy, athletic team that can not only get up and down the floor but also wreaks havoc with their defense led by Linzmeier who is an absolute terror on the defensive side. They're not that big either (nobody over 6'0") which actually meshes well with their style of play. They're going to be a force to contend with on the other side of the River and it wouldn't surprise me at all if they make a LOT of noise in the WIAC playoffs come February.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Northwestern vs Augsburg 11-26-12
Was over at Augsburg's Si Melby Hall for this Monday evening non-conference clash between Northwestern out of the UMAC and host Augsburg. I got myself settled in right before the tip-off as the Augsburg site had listed a 7:30 P.M. starting time but they were obviously off by a half hour.
The Auggies, with several new faces on the roster, got off to a good start in this one. Junior Anne Skriba, who transferred to Augsburg from Concordia St. Paul drew first blood when she scored inside at the 19:03 mark and another score at the 18:38 mark pushed that lead to 4-0 before Northwestern junior forward/post Jessica Fife got the Eagles on the board with her jumper from the left baseline area a bit later. Stll, the Auggies were able to increase their advantage to as much as 11-3 by the 15:01 mark when lanky Auggie junior Jill Tichy connected with a jumper.
Gradually, the Eagles would chip into that Auggie lead. Sophomore guard Chanel Madson scored on a jumper at the 14:42 mark and then both Fife and Madson would add points from the charity stripe that cut the Auggie lead down to a much more manageable 12-9. The Eagles would tie things up at 14-all when freshman reserve forward Kim Campell connected with a "3" along the right baseline at the 11:05 mark and then Northwestern took a 16-14 lead when freshman forward Courtney Cunard made a nice drive and finish at the 10:15 mark. But just when the Auggies appeared vulnerable they bounced right back. Tichy connected with a "3" from the right wing that helped Augsburg reclaim the lead at 17-16 and then Tichy was able to manuever inside to score with 6:43 left for a 19-16 Auggie lead. Then it was sophomore Abbey Luger's turn to steal the spotlight as she snared a steal and went the other way for a lay-up with 6:10 left and then made a strong drive along the left baseline and finished and got fouled in the process. That, along with the obligatory freebie got the Auggies back up to a 24-16 lead and they controlled the tempo throughout the rest of the first half to hold a 33-27 lead at the halftime break.
Just as they did against Macalester a week ago, Northwestern got off to a quick start as the second half got underway. Junior forward Hannah Holm calmly sank two freebies at the 19:50 mark after being fouled and then Fife connected with a jumper at the 19:25 mark. Holm then swished home a "3" at the 18:53 mark and suddenly the Eagles were within one at 35-34. Junior sharpshooting guard Mollie Sir, who is dangerous behind the arc, tied the issue at 39-all when she banged home one of her patented three-point bombs at the 17:09 mark. Alas, that would be as close as Northwestern would get to sniffing victory as the Auggies once again responded. Senior forward Brittany Zins, doing her dirty work down low (as usual) made two freebies at the 15:57 mark and then was able to score inside at the 15:22 mark. Then it was the southpaw Luger who connected from behind the arc at the 13:39 mark that helped fuel a 12-2 Auggie run over nearly an 8-minute span that was the difference-maker. The Eagles would threaten and get to within four thanks to 3's from Cunard and Madson but Skriba connected with her own "3" from the left wing with 5:02 left and another jumper at the 4:00 mark for a 62-52 mark seemed to seal Northwestern's fate on this night as the Eagles would not get closer than ten the rest of the way. Augsburg came out on top this night by a final tally of 70-56 and as Northwestern Head Coach Aaron Kahl told me afterward turnovers played a key role in the Eagles demise in this contest and that's something they've got to address as the prepare for UMAC play.
The Auggies, with several new faces on the roster, got off to a good start in this one. Junior Anne Skriba, who transferred to Augsburg from Concordia St. Paul drew first blood when she scored inside at the 19:03 mark and another score at the 18:38 mark pushed that lead to 4-0 before Northwestern junior forward/post Jessica Fife got the Eagles on the board with her jumper from the left baseline area a bit later. Stll, the Auggies were able to increase their advantage to as much as 11-3 by the 15:01 mark when lanky Auggie junior Jill Tichy connected with a jumper.
Gradually, the Eagles would chip into that Auggie lead. Sophomore guard Chanel Madson scored on a jumper at the 14:42 mark and then both Fife and Madson would add points from the charity stripe that cut the Auggie lead down to a much more manageable 12-9. The Eagles would tie things up at 14-all when freshman reserve forward Kim Campell connected with a "3" along the right baseline at the 11:05 mark and then Northwestern took a 16-14 lead when freshman forward Courtney Cunard made a nice drive and finish at the 10:15 mark. But just when the Auggies appeared vulnerable they bounced right back. Tichy connected with a "3" from the right wing that helped Augsburg reclaim the lead at 17-16 and then Tichy was able to manuever inside to score with 6:43 left for a 19-16 Auggie lead. Then it was sophomore Abbey Luger's turn to steal the spotlight as she snared a steal and went the other way for a lay-up with 6:10 left and then made a strong drive along the left baseline and finished and got fouled in the process. That, along with the obligatory freebie got the Auggies back up to a 24-16 lead and they controlled the tempo throughout the rest of the first half to hold a 33-27 lead at the halftime break.
Just as they did against Macalester a week ago, Northwestern got off to a quick start as the second half got underway. Junior forward Hannah Holm calmly sank two freebies at the 19:50 mark after being fouled and then Fife connected with a jumper at the 19:25 mark. Holm then swished home a "3" at the 18:53 mark and suddenly the Eagles were within one at 35-34. Junior sharpshooting guard Mollie Sir, who is dangerous behind the arc, tied the issue at 39-all when she banged home one of her patented three-point bombs at the 17:09 mark. Alas, that would be as close as Northwestern would get to sniffing victory as the Auggies once again responded. Senior forward Brittany Zins, doing her dirty work down low (as usual) made two freebies at the 15:57 mark and then was able to score inside at the 15:22 mark. Then it was the southpaw Luger who connected from behind the arc at the 13:39 mark that helped fuel a 12-2 Auggie run over nearly an 8-minute span that was the difference-maker. The Eagles would threaten and get to within four thanks to 3's from Cunard and Madson but Skriba connected with her own "3" from the left wing with 5:02 left and another jumper at the 4:00 mark for a 62-52 mark seemed to seal Northwestern's fate on this night as the Eagles would not get closer than ten the rest of the way. Augsburg came out on top this night by a final tally of 70-56 and as Northwestern Head Coach Aaron Kahl told me afterward turnovers played a key role in the Eagles demise in this contest and that's something they've got to address as the prepare for UMAC play.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
UW-Stevens Point vs UST 11-25-12
Was over at the "new" Schoenecker Arena in the Anderson Athletic Complex earlier today for this rare Sunday afternoon titanic non-conference clash between WIAC powerhouse (and current #1) UW-Stevens Point and host St. Thomas. Upon my arrival, I found out that the Tommies were without BOTH All-Americans Taylor Young and Maggie Weiers for this game with ankle injuries. While Young is hopeful that she can return to action by the first of the year (perhaps sooner), Weiers is out for the year with ligament damage; a huge blow to this UST squad with such high hopes.
Nonetheless, things were relatively tight over the first few minutes as senior point guard Kelly Ring got the Tommies on the board first with a jumper from the elbow at the 19:39 mark that was quickly matched by Pointer standout senior guard Sam Barber's jumper at the 17:35 mark. With UW-Stevens Point holding a 5-4 lead at the 16:20 mark, the Pointers went on a 9-2 run over a nearly five minute stretch; highlighted by junior guard Jenna Pitt's "3" from the left top at the 11:46 mark. Despite a mini-push by the Tommies that consisted of a sweet drive and finish by sophomore guard Jen Dockter and a "3" sophomore reserve guard Carley Emery, the Pointers increased the lead back to eight points by the 8:32 mark when senior guard Liz Althoff made an unbelievable rebound and putback under the basket and got fouled in the process as well. At that point, it lookes as if the Tommies would be fighting an uphill battle the rest of the way.
But this UST squad, fresh off of its Final Four appearance this last season, is a resilient group - even without its two All-Americans in action. Junior "do it all" guard Kelly Brandenburg scored at the 8:19 mark but then it was the solid senior Ring's turn to stand out. Not once, but TWICE she made incredible steals and went for lay-ups the other way that fueled a 12-2 Tommie run that had the Pointer lead whittled down to 23-21 by the 6:06 mark. The Tommies would pull even at 26-all when sophomore reserve forward Elaine Warner nailed a "3" from the left corner at the 3:24 mark and the Tommies would pull even again at the 2:35 mark when sophomore forward/post Anna Smith out of Bloomington Jefferson was able to manuever inside and score. The Pointers, however, countered with a short jumper by sophomore Taylor Atkinson at the 1:45 mark and a score inside by lanky 6'2" post Myranda Tyler that allowed UW-Stevens Point to take a slim 33-30 lead into the locker room at the half.
The Pointers wasted no time in trying to put distance between themselves and their MIAC opponent as they opened up the second half on a very efficient 13-3 run highlighted by a Barber "3" from the right top that put the Tommies in a hole; down 46-33 by the 16:11 mark and had a lot of spectators in attendance - including your's truly - wondering if this depleted Tommie team could possibly respond once again. But whatever doubts I may have had were quickly erased as this incredibly resilient team responded once again; highlighted by some suffocating defense and incredibly solid play from both Ring and Dockter who were both nails on this day not to mention a rebounding machine in Smith who refused to be fazed by this daunting situation. And it must have made recent Tommie greats such as Jen Gillard, Anna Swanson, Carolyn Dienhart, Haley Loesch, and Ali Johnson - all in attendance - very proud of the current group that keeps the tradition going at UST.
After a freebie by Ring at the 15:28 mark, Smith was able to convert in transition at the 14:39 mark and then a "3" by reserve sophomore guard Carley Emery at the 14:09 mark finally gave this team some confidence that it was needing - and it proved to be contagious. Dockter made a hard drive and finish at the 12:57 mark and Smith did the same at the 10:36 mark. Junior reserve guard Anessa Hicks sank two shots from the charity stripe at the 10:26 mark and then Brandenburg banged home a "3" from the right wing at the 9:46 mark; completing an astonishing 15-3 run that tied the issue at 48-all. The Tommies then retook the lead at the 9:10 mark when sophomore reserve guard Hannah Hughes swished a "3" from the left corner.
Reeling from this counter-attack by the Tommies, the Pointers had to fight, scratch and claw for everything they got coming down the stretch. Trailing 55-50, Barber banged home a "3" from the top of the key at the 6:01 mark and made it a one-possession game again. But each time the Pointers threatened, it was either Ring or Dockter who held UW-Stevens Point at bay. Ring sank a "3" from the right corner at the 5:40 mark and then Dockter did the same from the left top at the 4:36 mark that upped the Tommie lead to 61-53. Barber refused to let her teams hopes fade quietly into the late afternoon darkness as she snared a steal and went the other way for a lay-up with 3:36 left and was able to score inside with 2:58 left that at least had the Pointers within striking distance. Pointer sophomore Taylor Bahr got her team to within one at 65-64 with 1:35 left when she connected with a jumper off the glass. But again, it was fortunate for the Tommies that they had a "Dockter" in the house as the sophomore made yet another incredible hard drive and finish at the 1:08 mark that got her fouled in the process that once again made it a two-possesion game at 68-64. Smith increased that lead to 70-64 with her jumper from the left elbow and after another Barber "3" from the top of the key that whittled the Tommie lead to 70-67 sophomore reserve guard Hannah Hughes hauled in a baseball pass as the Pointers were putting a lot of pressure on the inbounds pass and got a lay-up out of it for a 72-67 Tommie lead. Bahr hit a "3" of her own with just 08.7 left to cut the Tommie lead to 72-70 but Dockter was able to get the back end of a 1-and-1 on the ensuing possesion to make it 73-70 with :06.4 left. The Pointers had one more chance; they quickly got it down the court and got a decent look from behind the arc but the shot banged off the rim and the Tommies claimed a HUGE 73-70 win over the current #1 ranked team in the country.
Afterward, assistant coach Chris Dalhed told me that they really didn't try to say too much to the team when they were down double digits early in the second half. They just had to take things possession by possession. Also, despite the fact that the Tommies shot relatively poorly in the first half (33.3%), the fact that they were getting decent looks forced some changes in the defensive schemes by UW-Stevens Point that opened things up on the floor and gave the Tommies some opportunites to drive the ball inside. Head Coach Ruth Sinn was quick to praise her young players who all were able to rise to the occasion in a big-time moment when there was a lot on the line early on in the season (Hicks, Emery, Hughes, Elaine Warner, Alyssa Favilla). Certainly a big win like this gives this young group a lot of confidence but they should be that much better once Young is able to return to action. Perhaps even more, important, this win will FINALLY give the MIAC some much-needed recognition by the rest of the country (particularly by the clueless Chianti Dan-type NCAA Tournament selection committee members who have screwed the MIAC over royally the last several years when it comes to handing out tourney bids) that this is indeed an incredibly tough conference from top to bottom that can play with anyone in the nation.
Nonetheless, things were relatively tight over the first few minutes as senior point guard Kelly Ring got the Tommies on the board first with a jumper from the elbow at the 19:39 mark that was quickly matched by Pointer standout senior guard Sam Barber's jumper at the 17:35 mark. With UW-Stevens Point holding a 5-4 lead at the 16:20 mark, the Pointers went on a 9-2 run over a nearly five minute stretch; highlighted by junior guard Jenna Pitt's "3" from the left top at the 11:46 mark. Despite a mini-push by the Tommies that consisted of a sweet drive and finish by sophomore guard Jen Dockter and a "3" sophomore reserve guard Carley Emery, the Pointers increased the lead back to eight points by the 8:32 mark when senior guard Liz Althoff made an unbelievable rebound and putback under the basket and got fouled in the process as well. At that point, it lookes as if the Tommies would be fighting an uphill battle the rest of the way.
But this UST squad, fresh off of its Final Four appearance this last season, is a resilient group - even without its two All-Americans in action. Junior "do it all" guard Kelly Brandenburg scored at the 8:19 mark but then it was the solid senior Ring's turn to stand out. Not once, but TWICE she made incredible steals and went for lay-ups the other way that fueled a 12-2 Tommie run that had the Pointer lead whittled down to 23-21 by the 6:06 mark. The Tommies would pull even at 26-all when sophomore reserve forward Elaine Warner nailed a "3" from the left corner at the 3:24 mark and the Tommies would pull even again at the 2:35 mark when sophomore forward/post Anna Smith out of Bloomington Jefferson was able to manuever inside and score. The Pointers, however, countered with a short jumper by sophomore Taylor Atkinson at the 1:45 mark and a score inside by lanky 6'2" post Myranda Tyler that allowed UW-Stevens Point to take a slim 33-30 lead into the locker room at the half.
The Pointers wasted no time in trying to put distance between themselves and their MIAC opponent as they opened up the second half on a very efficient 13-3 run highlighted by a Barber "3" from the right top that put the Tommies in a hole; down 46-33 by the 16:11 mark and had a lot of spectators in attendance - including your's truly - wondering if this depleted Tommie team could possibly respond once again. But whatever doubts I may have had were quickly erased as this incredibly resilient team responded once again; highlighted by some suffocating defense and incredibly solid play from both Ring and Dockter who were both nails on this day not to mention a rebounding machine in Smith who refused to be fazed by this daunting situation. And it must have made recent Tommie greats such as Jen Gillard, Anna Swanson, Carolyn Dienhart, Haley Loesch, and Ali Johnson - all in attendance - very proud of the current group that keeps the tradition going at UST.
After a freebie by Ring at the 15:28 mark, Smith was able to convert in transition at the 14:39 mark and then a "3" by reserve sophomore guard Carley Emery at the 14:09 mark finally gave this team some confidence that it was needing - and it proved to be contagious. Dockter made a hard drive and finish at the 12:57 mark and Smith did the same at the 10:36 mark. Junior reserve guard Anessa Hicks sank two shots from the charity stripe at the 10:26 mark and then Brandenburg banged home a "3" from the right wing at the 9:46 mark; completing an astonishing 15-3 run that tied the issue at 48-all. The Tommies then retook the lead at the 9:10 mark when sophomore reserve guard Hannah Hughes swished a "3" from the left corner.
Reeling from this counter-attack by the Tommies, the Pointers had to fight, scratch and claw for everything they got coming down the stretch. Trailing 55-50, Barber banged home a "3" from the top of the key at the 6:01 mark and made it a one-possession game again. But each time the Pointers threatened, it was either Ring or Dockter who held UW-Stevens Point at bay. Ring sank a "3" from the right corner at the 5:40 mark and then Dockter did the same from the left top at the 4:36 mark that upped the Tommie lead to 61-53. Barber refused to let her teams hopes fade quietly into the late afternoon darkness as she snared a steal and went the other way for a lay-up with 3:36 left and was able to score inside with 2:58 left that at least had the Pointers within striking distance. Pointer sophomore Taylor Bahr got her team to within one at 65-64 with 1:35 left when she connected with a jumper off the glass. But again, it was fortunate for the Tommies that they had a "Dockter" in the house as the sophomore made yet another incredible hard drive and finish at the 1:08 mark that got her fouled in the process that once again made it a two-possesion game at 68-64. Smith increased that lead to 70-64 with her jumper from the left elbow and after another Barber "3" from the top of the key that whittled the Tommie lead to 70-67 sophomore reserve guard Hannah Hughes hauled in a baseball pass as the Pointers were putting a lot of pressure on the inbounds pass and got a lay-up out of it for a 72-67 Tommie lead. Bahr hit a "3" of her own with just 08.7 left to cut the Tommie lead to 72-70 but Dockter was able to get the back end of a 1-and-1 on the ensuing possesion to make it 73-70 with :06.4 left. The Pointers had one more chance; they quickly got it down the court and got a decent look from behind the arc but the shot banged off the rim and the Tommies claimed a HUGE 73-70 win over the current #1 ranked team in the country.
Afterward, assistant coach Chris Dalhed told me that they really didn't try to say too much to the team when they were down double digits early in the second half. They just had to take things possession by possession. Also, despite the fact that the Tommies shot relatively poorly in the first half (33.3%), the fact that they were getting decent looks forced some changes in the defensive schemes by UW-Stevens Point that opened things up on the floor and gave the Tommies some opportunites to drive the ball inside. Head Coach Ruth Sinn was quick to praise her young players who all were able to rise to the occasion in a big-time moment when there was a lot on the line early on in the season (Hicks, Emery, Hughes, Elaine Warner, Alyssa Favilla). Certainly a big win like this gives this young group a lot of confidence but they should be that much better once Young is able to return to action. Perhaps even more, important, this win will FINALLY give the MIAC some much-needed recognition by the rest of the country (particularly by the clueless Chianti Dan-type NCAA Tournament selection committee members who have screwed the MIAC over royally the last several years when it comes to handing out tourney bids) that this is indeed an incredibly tough conference from top to bottom that can play with anyone in the nation.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Northwestern vs Macalester 11-20-12
Despite still feeling a bit worn down from my long trip back from the Motherland where I got to watch my UCLA Bruins take back the great city of Los Angeles from our crosstown rival USC, I was over at Macalester's Leonard Center to take in the non-conference clash between UMAC opponent Northwestern and the hosts Scots. I figured that, at the least anyway, this would be an entertaining game and I was not disappointed.
Sophomore guard Chanel Madson got the purple-clad Eagles on the board first with her lay-up at the 18:53 mark and junior sharpshooting guard Mollie Sir helped build the lead to 6-2 with scores at the 16:35 and 15:40 marks. Junior forward Kathryn Medinger knocked down a jumper at the 15:40 mark to pull the Scots to within two points but a "3" junior forward Hannah Holm and another bucket by Madson helped push the Eagle lead to 11-4 by the 14:46 mark as Macalester was having some problems getting untracked early on the first half.
Northwestern was holding a 20-13 lead by the 9:58 mark thanks to junior post/forward Jessica Fife's score inside at the 9:58 mark but the Scots finally began to make a move. Senior point guard Kyanna Jones made a hard drive and finish at the 8:37 mark and after withstanding a "3" by Madson and a rebound and putback by Fife, junior guard Emma Leyden made a sweet steal and lay-up the other way at the 3:49 mark and then sophomore Annie Drabot's score inside helped pull the Scots to within one at 25-24 at the 3:19 mark. Freshman reserve post Abby Purfeerst's two free throws at the 2:52 mark gave Macalester its first lead at 26-25 and Jones' jumper with 1:21 left and another freebie at the 1:04 mark gave the Scots a 30-27 lead although that was whittled down to a scant point when freshman reserve forward Kim Campbell knocked down a jumper with just :03 left on the clock for the Eagles. Still, Macalester seemingly had to be feeling better about itself at the halftime break after the rough go out of the gate.
But Northwestern had other ideas once the second half got underway and they made their decisive move after the second half tip. After Macalester junior post Veronika Jakubovie upped the Scot lead to 32-29 with her score inside at the 17:37 mark, Sir let everyone know her presence as she drilled a "3" from the right corner at the 16:27 mark to tie things at 32-all. The Eagles took the lead back for good at the 15:43 mark when freshman Courtney Cunard knocked down a jumper from the left elbow and then the Eagles proceeded with a 7-0 run over the next three minutes for a 41-33 lead by the 12:57 mark and Sir pushed that lead to double digits with another "3" from the left top with 11:51 left.
Macalester meanwhile had a horrible time from a shooting standpoint given all the opportunites they had and it allowed Northwestern to keep the Scots at bay coming down the home stretch. The Scots did creep back to within six points at the 6:28 mark when Medinger connected with a short jumper and were able to cut it to four when Jakubovie snared a rebound and got a putback with 4:50 left. But after a Fife free throw Sir again strutted her stuff and banged home another "3" from the left corner with 4:11 left that upped the Eagle lead to nine at 52-43. Leyden connected with a short jumper with 3:54 mark and junior guard Taylor Pike's "3" from the left corner once again pulled the Scots to within four at 52-48 but the Eagles were very disciplined with the ball in the last few minutes that forced the Scots to go into foul mode allowing Northwestern to ice this game from the charity stripe and claim a 59-50 victory.
Sophomore guard Chanel Madson got the purple-clad Eagles on the board first with her lay-up at the 18:53 mark and junior sharpshooting guard Mollie Sir helped build the lead to 6-2 with scores at the 16:35 and 15:40 marks. Junior forward Kathryn Medinger knocked down a jumper at the 15:40 mark to pull the Scots to within two points but a "3" junior forward Hannah Holm and another bucket by Madson helped push the Eagle lead to 11-4 by the 14:46 mark as Macalester was having some problems getting untracked early on the first half.
Northwestern was holding a 20-13 lead by the 9:58 mark thanks to junior post/forward Jessica Fife's score inside at the 9:58 mark but the Scots finally began to make a move. Senior point guard Kyanna Jones made a hard drive and finish at the 8:37 mark and after withstanding a "3" by Madson and a rebound and putback by Fife, junior guard Emma Leyden made a sweet steal and lay-up the other way at the 3:49 mark and then sophomore Annie Drabot's score inside helped pull the Scots to within one at 25-24 at the 3:19 mark. Freshman reserve post Abby Purfeerst's two free throws at the 2:52 mark gave Macalester its first lead at 26-25 and Jones' jumper with 1:21 left and another freebie at the 1:04 mark gave the Scots a 30-27 lead although that was whittled down to a scant point when freshman reserve forward Kim Campbell knocked down a jumper with just :03 left on the clock for the Eagles. Still, Macalester seemingly had to be feeling better about itself at the halftime break after the rough go out of the gate.
But Northwestern had other ideas once the second half got underway and they made their decisive move after the second half tip. After Macalester junior post Veronika Jakubovie upped the Scot lead to 32-29 with her score inside at the 17:37 mark, Sir let everyone know her presence as she drilled a "3" from the right corner at the 16:27 mark to tie things at 32-all. The Eagles took the lead back for good at the 15:43 mark when freshman Courtney Cunard knocked down a jumper from the left elbow and then the Eagles proceeded with a 7-0 run over the next three minutes for a 41-33 lead by the 12:57 mark and Sir pushed that lead to double digits with another "3" from the left top with 11:51 left.
Macalester meanwhile had a horrible time from a shooting standpoint given all the opportunites they had and it allowed Northwestern to keep the Scots at bay coming down the home stretch. The Scots did creep back to within six points at the 6:28 mark when Medinger connected with a short jumper and were able to cut it to four when Jakubovie snared a rebound and got a putback with 4:50 left. But after a Fife free throw Sir again strutted her stuff and banged home another "3" from the left corner with 4:11 left that upped the Eagle lead to nine at 52-43. Leyden connected with a short jumper with 3:54 mark and junior guard Taylor Pike's "3" from the left corner once again pulled the Scots to within four at 52-48 but the Eagles were very disciplined with the ball in the last few minutes that forced the Scots to go into foul mode allowing Northwestern to ice this game from the charity stripe and claim a 59-50 victory.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Bethel vs Concordia St. Paul 11-15-12
The 2012-13 season started for me as I was over at the Gangelhoff Center on the campus of Concordia St. Paul to catch this Thursday night clash between visiting Bethel and host Concordia St. Paul in this rare non-conference match-up. This game was originally scheduled for Saturday (11-17) but had to be moved due to the volleyball tournament there this weekend (and possibly also because I'm going to be heading out to Los Angeles tonight to attend tomorrow's UCLA-USC game as well; well, maybe anyway!).
The host Golden Bears quickly got on the board first as sophomore post Anika Whiting took a quick pass from junior teammate Rachel Hansen and then Hansen connected with a jumper along the left baseline at the 19:04 mark for a 4-0 lead. After Bethel senior point guard Kristi Nye-Studanski made a drive and finish at the 18:27 mark, the Golden Bears proceeded to go on a 9-0 run over the next four minutes before the bleeding was finally stopped by junior reserve guard Katelyn Vavra's two free throws at the 14:59 mark. Still the Golden Bears would take advantage of Bethel miscues and poor shooting as they opened up a seemingly prohibitve and safe lead at 21-6 by the 8:25 mark.
Somewhat ironically, though, BOTH teams went into a scoring funk over the next four minutes as neither side could capitalize on any opportunities. Finally, sophomore forward Amanda Barton took the cobwebs off the rims when she connected with a short jumper at the 4:36 mark to up the lead to 23-6. Bethel would score twice coming down the stretch: a transition finish by freshman forward Megan Brodeur and two more freebies by Vavra. Concordia St. Paul was able to get one more basket at the 1:33 mark when junior guard Carissa Wolyniec made a nice drive and finish for a 25-10 lead that the Golden Bears would take into the locker room at halftime. However, the stat sheet for both sides was on the Roseann Barr side - uh, rather U-G-L-Y. Bethel's FG percentage was an icy 11.1% including going 0-7 from three point range. For Concordia St. Paul, they shot only 36.4% from FG range and went 0-7 as well from behind the arc. You had to figure that Head Coach Paul Fessler gave his Golden Bears a good talking-to at the half.
The Golden Bears would get untracked somewhat in the opening minutes of the second half. After Nye-Studanski's bucket at the 19:42 mark cut the lead to 25-12, the Golden Bears utilized scores from both Whiting and Hansen over a three minute period to up the lead to 34-12 and it looked like Concordia St. Paul could put things in cruise control. However, I had the sensation throughout most of the second half that Bethel, if they just could have capitalized on opportunites they had, could have easily whittled the margin down to single points which would have dramatically changed the complexion of the game. In any event, with the Golden Bears up 38-15 at the 13:35 mark after a drive and finish by sophomore reserve guard Kika Greenlee, the Royals made a 5-0 push when junior forward Nicole Berscheid connected with a jumper at the 13:06 mark and Nye-Studanski banged home a "3" from the left top at the 12:12 mark and then Brodeur manuevered inside and finished at the 11:18 mark that whittled the Concordia St. Paul advantage down to 38-22.
But again, each time Bethel made a little push, they never could quite consolidate on opportunites given to them that allowed the Golden Bears to keep their MIAC opponents at bay. Whiting finished in transition at the 10:44 mark for a 40-22 lead and then Hansen connected with a short jumper in the lane at the 9:35 mark. Bethel senior forward Kelly Swenson, hounded by Hansen all night, had a rough night from a scoring standpoint but did get inside at the 7:10 mark for a score. Interestingly enough, it was Vavra who provided much of the offensive spark for Bethel in the second half as she nailed a "3" from the top of the key at the 5:53 mark and then connected with a jumper off the glass at the 4:35 mark. Vavra left her mark on this game with a steal and shot the other way with just twelve ticks on the clock but the Golden Bears would protect their home court on this night winning by a final score of 55-37.
The host Golden Bears quickly got on the board first as sophomore post Anika Whiting took a quick pass from junior teammate Rachel Hansen and then Hansen connected with a jumper along the left baseline at the 19:04 mark for a 4-0 lead. After Bethel senior point guard Kristi Nye-Studanski made a drive and finish at the 18:27 mark, the Golden Bears proceeded to go on a 9-0 run over the next four minutes before the bleeding was finally stopped by junior reserve guard Katelyn Vavra's two free throws at the 14:59 mark. Still the Golden Bears would take advantage of Bethel miscues and poor shooting as they opened up a seemingly prohibitve and safe lead at 21-6 by the 8:25 mark.
Somewhat ironically, though, BOTH teams went into a scoring funk over the next four minutes as neither side could capitalize on any opportunities. Finally, sophomore forward Amanda Barton took the cobwebs off the rims when she connected with a short jumper at the 4:36 mark to up the lead to 23-6. Bethel would score twice coming down the stretch: a transition finish by freshman forward Megan Brodeur and two more freebies by Vavra. Concordia St. Paul was able to get one more basket at the 1:33 mark when junior guard Carissa Wolyniec made a nice drive and finish for a 25-10 lead that the Golden Bears would take into the locker room at halftime. However, the stat sheet for both sides was on the Roseann Barr side - uh, rather U-G-L-Y. Bethel's FG percentage was an icy 11.1% including going 0-7 from three point range. For Concordia St. Paul, they shot only 36.4% from FG range and went 0-7 as well from behind the arc. You had to figure that Head Coach Paul Fessler gave his Golden Bears a good talking-to at the half.
The Golden Bears would get untracked somewhat in the opening minutes of the second half. After Nye-Studanski's bucket at the 19:42 mark cut the lead to 25-12, the Golden Bears utilized scores from both Whiting and Hansen over a three minute period to up the lead to 34-12 and it looked like Concordia St. Paul could put things in cruise control. However, I had the sensation throughout most of the second half that Bethel, if they just could have capitalized on opportunites they had, could have easily whittled the margin down to single points which would have dramatically changed the complexion of the game. In any event, with the Golden Bears up 38-15 at the 13:35 mark after a drive and finish by sophomore reserve guard Kika Greenlee, the Royals made a 5-0 push when junior forward Nicole Berscheid connected with a jumper at the 13:06 mark and Nye-Studanski banged home a "3" from the left top at the 12:12 mark and then Brodeur manuevered inside and finished at the 11:18 mark that whittled the Concordia St. Paul advantage down to 38-22.
But again, each time Bethel made a little push, they never could quite consolidate on opportunites given to them that allowed the Golden Bears to keep their MIAC opponents at bay. Whiting finished in transition at the 10:44 mark for a 40-22 lead and then Hansen connected with a short jumper in the lane at the 9:35 mark. Bethel senior forward Kelly Swenson, hounded by Hansen all night, had a rough night from a scoring standpoint but did get inside at the 7:10 mark for a score. Interestingly enough, it was Vavra who provided much of the offensive spark for Bethel in the second half as she nailed a "3" from the top of the key at the 5:53 mark and then connected with a jumper off the glass at the 4:35 mark. Vavra left her mark on this game with a steal and shot the other way with just twelve ticks on the clock but the Golden Bears would protect their home court on this night winning by a final score of 55-37.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
MIAC Predictions For 2012-13
Well, here we go. I've given this a lot of thought over the last several weeks and also wanted to see what some other thoughts were before I went and just put something out there. So here's my thoughts on how things will shake out this year.
Hands Down Favorite
1. UST - How can you NOT go with this squad? Other than losing the MIAC's 3-point shooting Queen in Ali Johnson and trusty guard Carolyn Dienhart along with do it all post Sarah Smith the Tommies have an abundance of talent coming back; notably all-world Taylor Young and the MIAC's premier post player in Maggie Weiers. And not only that, they have some great up and coming players in Kelly Brandenburg and former Eastview standout Jen Dockter. Perhaps the only thing different about this year's version is that they may not be infalliable as they were last year; asking them to go undefeated in the MIAC two years in a row may be a bridge too far. And let's also not forget that the Tommies get their mettle tested early - like this upcoming weekend - when they travel to Decatur, Illinois to take part in the Coaches vs Cancer Classic and take on preseason #1 Calvin on Friday night and then turn around and take on perennial powerhouse host Millikin. A week later, the Tommies then host WIAC favorite UW-Stevens Point. It's quite possible that a great team like UST could have a couple of dents in its record by the time they delve into MIAC play.
The Title Challengers
2. St. Olaf - Last year was something of a disappointment for the Oles as they showed potential from time to time but could turn around the next night and be wildly inconsistent and lose to the Detroit Lions of the hoops world. But the difference with this year's squad is that Head Coach Dave Stromme finally has depth at pretty much every position - a luxury he didn't enjoy last year. It's young depth but it's depth nonetheless. They've got a fantastic front line consisting of junior Elise Raney, senior Erin Haglund and sophomore Nikki Frogner who hails from Providence Academy. Sophomore Maddie Ehrich is now finally healthy again and senior Ashley Menzel and junior Brit Webber should be fully healthy soon. Stromme also has the best point guard in the conference, IMHO, in Mackenzie Wolter. Unfortunately, Wolter may be out for an undetermined amount of time with an injury and this may be where all that young depth has to step up in a hurry. Presumably freshman Lauren Gutierrez will fall into that spot. In any event, if there was ever a year where St. Olaf had a legitimate shot of winning the title, this year would have to be it.
3. Concordia - The Cobbers were probably one of the more under appreciated teams last year as they quietly went on a run late in the year before bowing to GAC in the MIAC playoff semifinals. Given how incredibly steady and consisten they are and with the returners they have coming back; not to mention one of the best coaches in the conference in Jessica Rahman, this squad will be that much better this year and have a shot to unseat UST as well. Seniors Tricia Sorensen and Emily Thesing have a knack for being in the right place at the right time (they learned well from their predecessors) and 6'4" post Alexandra Lippert is now a seasoned junior.
Solid Playoff Contenders
4. SMU - I have to admit that I really didn't know this team that well and only got to see them play once - when they upset St. Olaf in Northfield in the first round of the MIAC playoffs before bowing to UST. They have one of the top post players in the conference in junior Courtney Euerle and a very versatile player in senior Jamie Stefely along with solid guard play led by fellow senior Jessica Thone. They surprised a lot of people last year (including yours truly) in getting to the MIAC playoffs and now that they've done that they certainly have bigger and loftier goals for this season. I don't think that they're quite on the same level as either St. Olaf or Concordia; much less UST but they should be at least marginally better than what they were a year ago.
5. GAC - It's a new era in St. Peter as Laurie Kelly assumes the head coaching position that was held by Mickey Haller for 10+ seasons. This is a team that also lost the best point guard in the conference last year in Colleen Ruane along with Molly Geske and defensive specialist Ava Perry so there are some HUGE holes to fill here. The point guard spot will likely be inherited by senior Steph Comer who I felt slowly started coming into her own last season. There are plenty of other bright spots for the Gusties as well - senior post Abby Rothenbuehler and fellow senior Kelsey Florian along with junior three-point bomber Julia Dysthe and freshman sensation Lindsey Johnson. The big question for the Gusties is transitioning into a new system and how well they adapt. This should be a squad that is definitely good enough to at least get to the MIAC playoffs. Beyond that, I just don't know.
6. CSB - The Blazers are arguably one of the great unknowns to me and arguably to perhaps others as well. I simply don't know very much about this team other than they return seniors Whitney Canton, Morgan Dale and Jamie Wollin. This is a program that slipped badly a year ago and never could find any degree of consistency to get into that upper echelon where they normally find themselves. But, credit longtime Head Coach Mike Durbin for going out and hitting the recruiting trail HARD. Just looking at their roster has to make one salivate at what the future holds: 6'6" Sydney Hughes out of Olympia, Washington and 6'1" Sarah Berbos out of Fullerton, California; two lanky freshmen that highlight an impressive list of up and comers for the Blazers. This year may again be more of a learning year for this young team but they should be good enough to be in the playoff hunt and after that - LOOK OUT!!
Challenging For That Coveted Sixth Spot
7. Bethel - It's not easy to have to replace the MIAC's Player of The Year in Taylor Sheley but that's exactly what Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer has to do. Truth is, you can't really "replace" someone like Sheley who, in many ways, helped the Royals get back to back playoff berths single-handedly with her scoring ability. You just have to make the moving parts you do have work. And the Royals do have some very good moving parts beginning with senior Kelly Swenson who can be one of the dominant defensive players in the conference. She does have the ability to score as well and this year she needs to assert herself from an offensive standpoint. Also back is senior guard/forward Alicia Montbriand who has the ability to light things up from downtown along with capable junior Nicole Berscheid. Bethel's margin for error is much smaller than what it was last year and they have to avoid that Chicago Cub-like January swoon that could kill their chances.
8. Hamline - Granted, I've had some of my fantasy football teams go totally club med on me in years past but what happened at Hamline last year was utterly ridiculous as Head Coach Kerri Stockwell had to use bubble gum and baling wire just to keep her team intact through all the injuries they suffered last year. Despite losing post Steph Rice to graduation they still have a solid nucleus of returnees highlighted by senior three-point specialist Steph Pilgrim and senior forward Cassidy Vogt coming off an ACL injury back in January. Sophomore standout Jordan Sammons without question is one of the top athletes in the conference and can be a fantastic playmaker at any given moment. This is an incredibly athletic, fast squad although not one of the bigger squads in the conference. Needless to say, they have to keep their key cogs healthy at all times as depth could be an issue here as the season rolls along.
9. Macalester - I've learned over the years to never, NEVER underestimate an Ellen Thompson-coached squad. Even when she loses a great senior class from last season that included the three-point terrorist twin sister act of Jessica and Shannone Rene. Still, the Scots got a huge get from transfer post player Veronika Jakubovie that definitely filled a hole at that position. The roster at first glance may not look like much but one player to keep your eye on this year is junior Carmen Whitehead who has impressed yours truly in early season scrimmages. Also, senior point guard Kyanna Jones is one of the most dangerous backcourt players you'll find in the MIAC. They'll definitely have the ability to spoil some team's big dreams.
The Rest Of The Bunch
10. Augsburg - The Auggies were a big surprise last year as well and some key losses late in they year kept this squad out of the MIAC playoffs. Despite losing seniors Serenae Levine, Brittany Dyshaw and Lexi Thompson, Head Coach Bill McKee does have a solid enough group coming back highlighted by senior forward Brittany Zins. Last year at this time I had no idea what to think of this group and I find myself in the same quandry this time around as well.
11. Carleton - In some ways, I feel like I should have this squad higher than in the eleventh spot but, just like CSB, they are one of the great unknowns to me as I did not get to see this team play at all last year. When I got to visit with Head Coach Cassie Kosiba recently she seemed cautiously optimistic about her team's outlook for this season. And, why not? Despite struggling record-wise last year, this squad does have some players that make you stand up and take notice - particularly senior Akemi Arzouman and sophomore Skylar Tsutsui. I don't know if this squad is really ready to take the next step; i.e., contending for a MIAC playoff spot, but they should definitely be better this time around.
12. St. Kate's - The Wildcats also usher in a new era as well as new Head Coach Sean Pinkerton takes the reigns from Gary Rufsvold who stepped aside this last summer. This is still a very young team with not one senior on the roster. While not much may be expected of this year's edition of the Wildcats, they historically have not been the kind of team to simply go quietly in the night as they have been very scrappy at times and have given the best of teams fits. The 'Cats will be led by sophomore Sarina Baker and junior Kristen Lee who can light it up from downtown. A healthy Madison Pertler also returns as well and sophomore Sarah Mong looks to hold down the post spot this year.
Hands Down Favorite
1. UST - How can you NOT go with this squad? Other than losing the MIAC's 3-point shooting Queen in Ali Johnson and trusty guard Carolyn Dienhart along with do it all post Sarah Smith the Tommies have an abundance of talent coming back; notably all-world Taylor Young and the MIAC's premier post player in Maggie Weiers. And not only that, they have some great up and coming players in Kelly Brandenburg and former Eastview standout Jen Dockter. Perhaps the only thing different about this year's version is that they may not be infalliable as they were last year; asking them to go undefeated in the MIAC two years in a row may be a bridge too far. And let's also not forget that the Tommies get their mettle tested early - like this upcoming weekend - when they travel to Decatur, Illinois to take part in the Coaches vs Cancer Classic and take on preseason #1 Calvin on Friday night and then turn around and take on perennial powerhouse host Millikin. A week later, the Tommies then host WIAC favorite UW-Stevens Point. It's quite possible that a great team like UST could have a couple of dents in its record by the time they delve into MIAC play.
The Title Challengers
2. St. Olaf - Last year was something of a disappointment for the Oles as they showed potential from time to time but could turn around the next night and be wildly inconsistent and lose to the Detroit Lions of the hoops world. But the difference with this year's squad is that Head Coach Dave Stromme finally has depth at pretty much every position - a luxury he didn't enjoy last year. It's young depth but it's depth nonetheless. They've got a fantastic front line consisting of junior Elise Raney, senior Erin Haglund and sophomore Nikki Frogner who hails from Providence Academy. Sophomore Maddie Ehrich is now finally healthy again and senior Ashley Menzel and junior Brit Webber should be fully healthy soon. Stromme also has the best point guard in the conference, IMHO, in Mackenzie Wolter. Unfortunately, Wolter may be out for an undetermined amount of time with an injury and this may be where all that young depth has to step up in a hurry. Presumably freshman Lauren Gutierrez will fall into that spot. In any event, if there was ever a year where St. Olaf had a legitimate shot of winning the title, this year would have to be it.
3. Concordia - The Cobbers were probably one of the more under appreciated teams last year as they quietly went on a run late in the year before bowing to GAC in the MIAC playoff semifinals. Given how incredibly steady and consisten they are and with the returners they have coming back; not to mention one of the best coaches in the conference in Jessica Rahman, this squad will be that much better this year and have a shot to unseat UST as well. Seniors Tricia Sorensen and Emily Thesing have a knack for being in the right place at the right time (they learned well from their predecessors) and 6'4" post Alexandra Lippert is now a seasoned junior.
Solid Playoff Contenders
4. SMU - I have to admit that I really didn't know this team that well and only got to see them play once - when they upset St. Olaf in Northfield in the first round of the MIAC playoffs before bowing to UST. They have one of the top post players in the conference in junior Courtney Euerle and a very versatile player in senior Jamie Stefely along with solid guard play led by fellow senior Jessica Thone. They surprised a lot of people last year (including yours truly) in getting to the MIAC playoffs and now that they've done that they certainly have bigger and loftier goals for this season. I don't think that they're quite on the same level as either St. Olaf or Concordia; much less UST but they should be at least marginally better than what they were a year ago.
5. GAC - It's a new era in St. Peter as Laurie Kelly assumes the head coaching position that was held by Mickey Haller for 10+ seasons. This is a team that also lost the best point guard in the conference last year in Colleen Ruane along with Molly Geske and defensive specialist Ava Perry so there are some HUGE holes to fill here. The point guard spot will likely be inherited by senior Steph Comer who I felt slowly started coming into her own last season. There are plenty of other bright spots for the Gusties as well - senior post Abby Rothenbuehler and fellow senior Kelsey Florian along with junior three-point bomber Julia Dysthe and freshman sensation Lindsey Johnson. The big question for the Gusties is transitioning into a new system and how well they adapt. This should be a squad that is definitely good enough to at least get to the MIAC playoffs. Beyond that, I just don't know.
6. CSB - The Blazers are arguably one of the great unknowns to me and arguably to perhaps others as well. I simply don't know very much about this team other than they return seniors Whitney Canton, Morgan Dale and Jamie Wollin. This is a program that slipped badly a year ago and never could find any degree of consistency to get into that upper echelon where they normally find themselves. But, credit longtime Head Coach Mike Durbin for going out and hitting the recruiting trail HARD. Just looking at their roster has to make one salivate at what the future holds: 6'6" Sydney Hughes out of Olympia, Washington and 6'1" Sarah Berbos out of Fullerton, California; two lanky freshmen that highlight an impressive list of up and comers for the Blazers. This year may again be more of a learning year for this young team but they should be good enough to be in the playoff hunt and after that - LOOK OUT!!
Challenging For That Coveted Sixth Spot
7. Bethel - It's not easy to have to replace the MIAC's Player of The Year in Taylor Sheley but that's exactly what Head Coach Jon Herbrechtsmeyer has to do. Truth is, you can't really "replace" someone like Sheley who, in many ways, helped the Royals get back to back playoff berths single-handedly with her scoring ability. You just have to make the moving parts you do have work. And the Royals do have some very good moving parts beginning with senior Kelly Swenson who can be one of the dominant defensive players in the conference. She does have the ability to score as well and this year she needs to assert herself from an offensive standpoint. Also back is senior guard/forward Alicia Montbriand who has the ability to light things up from downtown along with capable junior Nicole Berscheid. Bethel's margin for error is much smaller than what it was last year and they have to avoid that Chicago Cub-like January swoon that could kill their chances.
8. Hamline - Granted, I've had some of my fantasy football teams go totally club med on me in years past but what happened at Hamline last year was utterly ridiculous as Head Coach Kerri Stockwell had to use bubble gum and baling wire just to keep her team intact through all the injuries they suffered last year. Despite losing post Steph Rice to graduation they still have a solid nucleus of returnees highlighted by senior three-point specialist Steph Pilgrim and senior forward Cassidy Vogt coming off an ACL injury back in January. Sophomore standout Jordan Sammons without question is one of the top athletes in the conference and can be a fantastic playmaker at any given moment. This is an incredibly athletic, fast squad although not one of the bigger squads in the conference. Needless to say, they have to keep their key cogs healthy at all times as depth could be an issue here as the season rolls along.
9. Macalester - I've learned over the years to never, NEVER underestimate an Ellen Thompson-coached squad. Even when she loses a great senior class from last season that included the three-point terrorist twin sister act of Jessica and Shannone Rene. Still, the Scots got a huge get from transfer post player Veronika Jakubovie that definitely filled a hole at that position. The roster at first glance may not look like much but one player to keep your eye on this year is junior Carmen Whitehead who has impressed yours truly in early season scrimmages. Also, senior point guard Kyanna Jones is one of the most dangerous backcourt players you'll find in the MIAC. They'll definitely have the ability to spoil some team's big dreams.
The Rest Of The Bunch
10. Augsburg - The Auggies were a big surprise last year as well and some key losses late in they year kept this squad out of the MIAC playoffs. Despite losing seniors Serenae Levine, Brittany Dyshaw and Lexi Thompson, Head Coach Bill McKee does have a solid enough group coming back highlighted by senior forward Brittany Zins. Last year at this time I had no idea what to think of this group and I find myself in the same quandry this time around as well.
11. Carleton - In some ways, I feel like I should have this squad higher than in the eleventh spot but, just like CSB, they are one of the great unknowns to me as I did not get to see this team play at all last year. When I got to visit with Head Coach Cassie Kosiba recently she seemed cautiously optimistic about her team's outlook for this season. And, why not? Despite struggling record-wise last year, this squad does have some players that make you stand up and take notice - particularly senior Akemi Arzouman and sophomore Skylar Tsutsui. I don't know if this squad is really ready to take the next step; i.e., contending for a MIAC playoff spot, but they should definitely be better this time around.
12. St. Kate's - The Wildcats also usher in a new era as well as new Head Coach Sean Pinkerton takes the reigns from Gary Rufsvold who stepped aside this last summer. This is still a very young team with not one senior on the roster. While not much may be expected of this year's edition of the Wildcats, they historically have not been the kind of team to simply go quietly in the night as they have been very scrappy at times and have given the best of teams fits. The 'Cats will be led by sophomore Sarina Baker and junior Kristen Lee who can light it up from downtown. A healthy Madison Pertler also returns as well and sophomore Sarah Mong looks to hold down the post spot this year.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
St. Olaf vs Northwestern Scrimmage 11-10-12
Was over in Roseville this A.M. to catch the Saturday scrimmage between visiting St. Olaf and host Northwestern; a neat MIAC - UMAC clash that I'd like to see more often. As the teams were warming up there were a few notable Oles in the walking wounded category: sophomore Sheridan Blanford, of course, still rehabbing from the ACL injury over the summer, junior Britt Weber in the final stages (hopefully, anyway) of her ACL rehab, senior Ashley Menzel; recovering from a quadriceps pull, but now also senior starting PG Mackenzie Wolter out with a herniated disc which could be a big blow for the Oles hopes of contending for the MIAC title. The Eagles were not without their injured players either; most notably sophomore post Jacki Smith recovering from a foot injury although Head Coach Aaron Kahl hopes that she'll be at full strength again sometime after the first of the year.
In the first twenty minute scrimmage, sophomore swing forward Maddie Ehrich got it going early for the Oles as she helped put her team up 4-0 with a short jumper at the 19:29 mark and a drive inside with a finish at the 19:00 mark. Junior forward/post Jessica Fife got the Eagles on the board at the 15:53 mark but St. Olaf was able to open up some breathing room thanks to sophomore post Nikki Frogner with free throws at the 15:06 mark and then scores at the 14:37 and 13:55 marks for an 11-2 St. Olaf lead. Freshman Ellie Werlein did get a couple of points for Northwestern in the form of free throws at the 13:55 and 13:15 marks but the Eagles were having a difficult time in coping with a tall St. Olaf front line that was really making life miserable for Fife and her ability to manuever with the ball after posting up.
But St. Olaf wasn't exactly error-free on offense in this first scrimmage either as they arguably looked all over the place and not on the same page although reserve freshman PG Lauren Gutierrez was doing her darndest to make things run as smoothly as possible. Still, the Oles were in a scoring drought for nearly five minutes from the 11:14 mark to the 6:26 mark when freshman Zoe Hansen finally dusted the cobwebs off the rim with her jumper that made it a 16-6 game. Freshman Courtney Cunard responded for Northwestern with a "3" from the right corner at the 5:24 mark to cut the deficit to seven points at 16-9 but junior post Elise Raney's rebound and putback at the 5:03 mark and freshman Kim Cerjan's steal and lay-up the other way stabilized the Ole advantage. Junior Mollie Sir's "3" from the top at the 2:53 mark and junior guard Kaia Larson's "3" from the right wing with 1:06 left threatened to bring the Eagles close again but St. Olaf was able to close out the first scrimmage with a rather unimpressive 22-17 win.
After regrouping in the intermission period (and some talking to by Head Coach Dave Stromme), the Oles made amends for the error-filled 1st scrimmage. With St. Olaf holding an 8-5 lead at the 17:33 mark, they proceeded to go on a 20-0 run over a period of roughly eleven minutes with Raney, Ehrich, and Frogner leading the way. Junior forward Hannah Holm finally stopped the bleeding for the Eagles with her "3" from the left top at the 7:59 mark but St. Olaf was firmly in control of this second scrimmage utlizing their size and ability to get into transition after turnovers as well. After another Sir "3" for Northwestern at the 6:46 mark, St. Olaf proceeded to go on a 12-0 run over the final minutes with seniors Erin Haglund, Kirstee Rotty, and (C'mon) Eileen O'Donoghue all contributing with scores to come out with a convincing 42-14 victory.
The third scrimmage of 20 minutes featured running time to speed things up but it didn't change St. Olaf's newfound confidence as they seemed to pick up right where they left off from the second scrimmage. After a back and forth tussle the first few minutes, Ole freshman Molly Dietrich banged home a "3" from the right top at the 13:06 mark that gave St. Olaf a 7-6 lead that they would never relinquish. An inside score by Raney at the 12:30 mark upped the Ole lead to 9-6 but the real show stealer of this third scrimmage for St. Olaf was Mackenzie Wolter's younger sister; freshman guard Afton Wolter who lit up the Ericksen Center with her three-point shooting prowess with bombs at the 6:53, 5:27, and 2:00 minute marks. Another "3" by freshman Katie Myhre plus a steal and lay-up the other way with :25 left and another Afton Wolter score just before the buzzer paced the Oles to a 30-13 win.
In the first twenty minute scrimmage, sophomore swing forward Maddie Ehrich got it going early for the Oles as she helped put her team up 4-0 with a short jumper at the 19:29 mark and a drive inside with a finish at the 19:00 mark. Junior forward/post Jessica Fife got the Eagles on the board at the 15:53 mark but St. Olaf was able to open up some breathing room thanks to sophomore post Nikki Frogner with free throws at the 15:06 mark and then scores at the 14:37 and 13:55 marks for an 11-2 St. Olaf lead. Freshman Ellie Werlein did get a couple of points for Northwestern in the form of free throws at the 13:55 and 13:15 marks but the Eagles were having a difficult time in coping with a tall St. Olaf front line that was really making life miserable for Fife and her ability to manuever with the ball after posting up.
But St. Olaf wasn't exactly error-free on offense in this first scrimmage either as they arguably looked all over the place and not on the same page although reserve freshman PG Lauren Gutierrez was doing her darndest to make things run as smoothly as possible. Still, the Oles were in a scoring drought for nearly five minutes from the 11:14 mark to the 6:26 mark when freshman Zoe Hansen finally dusted the cobwebs off the rim with her jumper that made it a 16-6 game. Freshman Courtney Cunard responded for Northwestern with a "3" from the right corner at the 5:24 mark to cut the deficit to seven points at 16-9 but junior post Elise Raney's rebound and putback at the 5:03 mark and freshman Kim Cerjan's steal and lay-up the other way stabilized the Ole advantage. Junior Mollie Sir's "3" from the top at the 2:53 mark and junior guard Kaia Larson's "3" from the right wing with 1:06 left threatened to bring the Eagles close again but St. Olaf was able to close out the first scrimmage with a rather unimpressive 22-17 win.
After regrouping in the intermission period (and some talking to by Head Coach Dave Stromme), the Oles made amends for the error-filled 1st scrimmage. With St. Olaf holding an 8-5 lead at the 17:33 mark, they proceeded to go on a 20-0 run over a period of roughly eleven minutes with Raney, Ehrich, and Frogner leading the way. Junior forward Hannah Holm finally stopped the bleeding for the Eagles with her "3" from the left top at the 7:59 mark but St. Olaf was firmly in control of this second scrimmage utlizing their size and ability to get into transition after turnovers as well. After another Sir "3" for Northwestern at the 6:46 mark, St. Olaf proceeded to go on a 12-0 run over the final minutes with seniors Erin Haglund, Kirstee Rotty, and (C'mon) Eileen O'Donoghue all contributing with scores to come out with a convincing 42-14 victory.
The third scrimmage of 20 minutes featured running time to speed things up but it didn't change St. Olaf's newfound confidence as they seemed to pick up right where they left off from the second scrimmage. After a back and forth tussle the first few minutes, Ole freshman Molly Dietrich banged home a "3" from the right top at the 13:06 mark that gave St. Olaf a 7-6 lead that they would never relinquish. An inside score by Raney at the 12:30 mark upped the Ole lead to 9-6 but the real show stealer of this third scrimmage for St. Olaf was Mackenzie Wolter's younger sister; freshman guard Afton Wolter who lit up the Ericksen Center with her three-point shooting prowess with bombs at the 6:53, 5:27, and 2:00 minute marks. Another "3" by freshman Katie Myhre plus a steal and lay-up the other way with :25 left and another Afton Wolter score just before the buzzer paced the Oles to a 30-13 win.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Anoka-Ramsey vs Macalester Scrimmage 1-7-12
Was over at Macalester's Leonard Center late Wednesday afternoon to catch the scrimmage between host Macalester and visiting Anoka-Ramsey; a match-up that you don't get to see on a regular basis. For the visiting Golden Rams - at least on this day anyway - it's probably just as well..
First off, it was quite obvious that Anoka-Ramsey was operating a bit short-handed again. While Maria Loughlin was there supporting her teammates with the left knee heavily wrapped and bandaged after suffering that ACL injury back in September on the first day of practice, Cami Bauer and Tasha Ambrose were also in street clothes and I don't know for sure if they were possibly injured or not. In any event, things did not start off well for the Golden Rams as Head Coach David DeWitt called a timeout at the 19:27 mark; obviously unhappy about something. The Scots, meanwhile, pounced early and often on their junior college opponents. Junior post Veronika Jakubovie connected with a short jumper in the lane at the 18:57 mark and senior point guard Kyanna Jones scored on a lay-up at the 18:09 mark. Junior guard Carmen Whitehead connected with a lay-up of her own in transition at the 17:52 mark and another Macalester score at the 17:00 mark ballooned the score to 8-0 before Anoka-Ramsey sophomore Kelli Schramm finally stopped the bleeding for a bit with her jumper along the left baseline at the 16:32 mark. Schramm would connect with a "3" from the top at the 14:28 mark but that was after Jones had made two steals for easy lay-ups the other way for Macalester. Sophomore Erika Weimann connected with a jumper at the 14:05 mark for a 14-5 Macalester lead.
It would only get worse for the Golden Rams and part of that reason was the emergence of Whitehead as a "go to" player for the Scots; something they desperately need with the graduated Rene twins (Jessica and Shannon who were both in attendance to root their old teammates on). She connected with a short jumper at the 10:55 mark and then knocked down another jumper at the 9:15 mark. A finish in transition by Whitehead at the 8:29 mark and then a score inside at the 6:18 mark helped to open up a big lead for the Scots at 27-9; a situation that Anoka-Ramsey does not find themselves in very often. Scores by freshman Erin Murray, sophomore Annie Drabot and freshman reserve post Abby Purfeerst made it 32-9 by the three minute intermission break.
Whitehead picked up right where she left off as the second half got underway as she made a steal and finished with a lay-up the other way at the 18:57 mark which resulted in another quick time-out by a VERY unhappy David DeWitt. Schramm tried to get her Anoka-Ramsey teammates going with her sweet turnaround move and shot at the 18:26 mark but another jumper by Whitehead at the 17:34 mark and a "3" by the junior who hails from Greeley, Colorado inflated the Macalester lead to 43-11 by the 16:37 mark. Schramm connected with a jumper at the 15:45 mark but she simply was not getting much help from a scoring standpoint from her teammates; particularly freshman Nicole Schaub, a three-point shooting machine who wreaked havoc during her high school days at Park Center. Schaub simply did not have a very good outing on this day as she would get open for three point tries but simply couldn't get much to go down although she did get a rebound and putback at the 12:49 mark. Macalester, however, simply couldn't miss on this day it seemed. Junior Taylor Pike drained a "3" from the top at the 9:32 mark and the Murray connected with a "3" from the right corner at the 6:58 mark. Junior Kathryn Medinger added her own "3" right before the final buzzer of the regular session for a 63-27 blowout win.
The Golden Rams and Scots also played an extra 20 minute session with running time after the 10:00 mark. Guess who got things started off for Macalester here? Whitehead, of course, as she banged down a "3" from the right wing at the 17:53 mark. A lay-up by Pike at the 17:04 mark and another one by Whitehead in transition at the 16:31 mark gave Macalester a touchdown lead at 7-0 before Schaub FINALLY connected from behind the arc at the 14:46 mark. But, like before, the Golden Rams simply could not get close enough to threaten the hosts. Two scores by Drabot - a jumper at the 10:21 mark and a steal and lay-up at the 10:08 mark quickly pushed the Macalester lead to 13-4. Schramm made a sweet reverse lay-up at the 7:46 mark but two more consecutive scores by Drabot coming down the stretch would give the Scots the cushion they needed. A late "3" by Anoka-Ramsey sophomore Tacita Gonzalez got the Golden Rams to double digits but Macalester won the extra session easily as well by a final score of 20-11.
I think it's probably a bit too early to make any assumptions about how Macalester might fare this year. Clearly they're not the same team they were last year without the Rene Sisters. It is nice to see how Whitehead is emerging as a real scoring threat for this squad and if she can be consistent the Scots can definitely be a dangerous team. I'm a little worried about Anoka-Ramsey at the moment, however. They still look horribly out of sorts on offense and they've simply GOT to find a way to all get on the same page. Moreover, they've GOT to find a way to stay healthy as well with Loughlin out for the season (she does plan to return next year). Right now, Schramm seems to be the only consistent scoring threat for this team and DeWitt needs others to step up. Hopefully they'll find the answers they need - soon - as they're slated to be in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this weekend for two games against Madison and Milwaukee Tech.
First off, it was quite obvious that Anoka-Ramsey was operating a bit short-handed again. While Maria Loughlin was there supporting her teammates with the left knee heavily wrapped and bandaged after suffering that ACL injury back in September on the first day of practice, Cami Bauer and Tasha Ambrose were also in street clothes and I don't know for sure if they were possibly injured or not. In any event, things did not start off well for the Golden Rams as Head Coach David DeWitt called a timeout at the 19:27 mark; obviously unhappy about something. The Scots, meanwhile, pounced early and often on their junior college opponents. Junior post Veronika Jakubovie connected with a short jumper in the lane at the 18:57 mark and senior point guard Kyanna Jones scored on a lay-up at the 18:09 mark. Junior guard Carmen Whitehead connected with a lay-up of her own in transition at the 17:52 mark and another Macalester score at the 17:00 mark ballooned the score to 8-0 before Anoka-Ramsey sophomore Kelli Schramm finally stopped the bleeding for a bit with her jumper along the left baseline at the 16:32 mark. Schramm would connect with a "3" from the top at the 14:28 mark but that was after Jones had made two steals for easy lay-ups the other way for Macalester. Sophomore Erika Weimann connected with a jumper at the 14:05 mark for a 14-5 Macalester lead.
It would only get worse for the Golden Rams and part of that reason was the emergence of Whitehead as a "go to" player for the Scots; something they desperately need with the graduated Rene twins (Jessica and Shannon who were both in attendance to root their old teammates on). She connected with a short jumper at the 10:55 mark and then knocked down another jumper at the 9:15 mark. A finish in transition by Whitehead at the 8:29 mark and then a score inside at the 6:18 mark helped to open up a big lead for the Scots at 27-9; a situation that Anoka-Ramsey does not find themselves in very often. Scores by freshman Erin Murray, sophomore Annie Drabot and freshman reserve post Abby Purfeerst made it 32-9 by the three minute intermission break.
Whitehead picked up right where she left off as the second half got underway as she made a steal and finished with a lay-up the other way at the 18:57 mark which resulted in another quick time-out by a VERY unhappy David DeWitt. Schramm tried to get her Anoka-Ramsey teammates going with her sweet turnaround move and shot at the 18:26 mark but another jumper by Whitehead at the 17:34 mark and a "3" by the junior who hails from Greeley, Colorado inflated the Macalester lead to 43-11 by the 16:37 mark. Schramm connected with a jumper at the 15:45 mark but she simply was not getting much help from a scoring standpoint from her teammates; particularly freshman Nicole Schaub, a three-point shooting machine who wreaked havoc during her high school days at Park Center. Schaub simply did not have a very good outing on this day as she would get open for three point tries but simply couldn't get much to go down although she did get a rebound and putback at the 12:49 mark. Macalester, however, simply couldn't miss on this day it seemed. Junior Taylor Pike drained a "3" from the top at the 9:32 mark and the Murray connected with a "3" from the right corner at the 6:58 mark. Junior Kathryn Medinger added her own "3" right before the final buzzer of the regular session for a 63-27 blowout win.
The Golden Rams and Scots also played an extra 20 minute session with running time after the 10:00 mark. Guess who got things started off for Macalester here? Whitehead, of course, as she banged down a "3" from the right wing at the 17:53 mark. A lay-up by Pike at the 17:04 mark and another one by Whitehead in transition at the 16:31 mark gave Macalester a touchdown lead at 7-0 before Schaub FINALLY connected from behind the arc at the 14:46 mark. But, like before, the Golden Rams simply could not get close enough to threaten the hosts. Two scores by Drabot - a jumper at the 10:21 mark and a steal and lay-up at the 10:08 mark quickly pushed the Macalester lead to 13-4. Schramm made a sweet reverse lay-up at the 7:46 mark but two more consecutive scores by Drabot coming down the stretch would give the Scots the cushion they needed. A late "3" by Anoka-Ramsey sophomore Tacita Gonzalez got the Golden Rams to double digits but Macalester won the extra session easily as well by a final score of 20-11.
I think it's probably a bit too early to make any assumptions about how Macalester might fare this year. Clearly they're not the same team they were last year without the Rene Sisters. It is nice to see how Whitehead is emerging as a real scoring threat for this squad and if she can be consistent the Scots can definitely be a dangerous team. I'm a little worried about Anoka-Ramsey at the moment, however. They still look horribly out of sorts on offense and they've simply GOT to find a way to all get on the same page. Moreover, they've GOT to find a way to stay healthy as well with Loughlin out for the season (she does plan to return next year). Right now, Schramm seems to be the only consistent scoring threat for this team and DeWitt needs others to step up. Hopefully they'll find the answers they need - soon - as they're slated to be in Milwaukee, Wisconsin this weekend for two games against Madison and Milwaukee Tech.
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