|
|
|
Lady Spartans sputter against Violets, Judges
Danielle Slifko
Staff Reporter
In this world, things have a way of balancing themselves out. Be it over the long haul or just in the present time, nothing remains at its extremes for too long. Talented teams go on win streaks that can last entire seasons and never see the balancing act of a loss plague their record, just as losing teams can struggle through game after game and never taste victory.
These trends don’t last for forever; some teams become dynasties while others become the Detroit Lions, but eventually, the flow of the world allows for new champions and new competitors.
The Lady Spartans, as of right now, are stuck in the transition between these two extremes. While they are beginning to prove their toughness as a basketball team and a program on a national level, they have difficulty keeping their heads above the water for long. Over the past two weeks, the ladies have been able to steadily handle the number one team in the land while dropping two home losses to significantly lesser teams, Brandeis and NYU.
Coming into Brandeis, the Spartans’ last game was their incredible upset of then number one ranked Rochester. After such an important win, the key to continuing their streak was to remain focused and use what they had done so well in the last game to win the next one. Unfortunately, the ladies weren’t entirely prepared for the game against the Judges. Said freshman Dana Dempsey, “We took them too lightly, and didn’t get pumped up for the game.”
When the Spartans took the floor last Friday, they started off a little sluggish as they allowed Brandeis to move up on them by as many as five points before moving ahead in the first half. The Spartans’ lead was short-lived, however, as three steals in a row prevented the ladies from converting on any opportunities. With the half coming to a close, the Spartans were down by five, 29-34.
Coming back into the game, the ladies allowed Brandeis to take control from the very beginning. The Judges consistently ran the ball better up and down the court as they were able to penetrate deep into Spartan territory to make their shots. When the Spartans did implement their high-pressure defense, it often worked well and forced Brandeis to make mistakes, permitting Case to creep their way back into the game.
Deep into the second half, the Spartans began making their run and with 4:33 left in the half, they were up by two. A tremendous block by senior captain Jasmine Rowan near the baseline gave the Spartans an extra bit of life as they scrapped their way through the last final minutes.
With the score see-sawing back and forth for the remainder of the game, the deciding play came with twelve seconds on the clock, and Case down by one. The inbounds ball to junior guard Keesha Allen was passed to Rowan on the outside of the arc, who was not able to get off the three. Looking for an out, she shot the ball to senior guard Angie Zeuch, who put up a three that hit the back of the rim, bounced out, and came to the court just as the buzzer sounded.
Brandeis defeated Case by a final of 69-68, and even Allen, who had 10 boards and 17 points on the night agreed that, “we just didn’t play well.” The loss dropped the Spartans to 4-2 in the UAA, thereby taking away part of the number one position they shared.
Early on Sunday afternoon, the ladies returned back to their home court to face the NYU Violets in the hopes of climbing back to where they belong in the UAA standings. Though NYU is nationally ranked among such teams as Wash U and Rochester, the Spartans felt as though they weren’t as good as many thought they were.
As Dempsey said, “We just played at their level, and let them get inside of us too often.” From the outset, the Spartans weren’t even close to being in the game as NYU quickly went up Case by as many as 14 points in the first half.
Determined to get back in the game, a series of missed jumpers and turnovers by NYU gave Case a small lead and kept them behind by 3 at the half, 42-39. In the second half, senior Jasmine Rowan fouled out as Coach Hughes continually rotated in fresh players, trying out the depth of her bench. Only Allen and Hammel reached double figures on the night as they scored 19 and 11 points, respectively, in the Spartan’s 88-79 loss to NYU. Case never led in the second half, and though they attempted to make a run near the end, it amounted to too little. Their second loss in three days put the ladies at 4-3 in the conference and 8-10 on the year.
The Spartans’ next game is tonight at NYU and then against Brandeis on Sunday. With a second chance to change what happened last weekend, there lies an opportunity for the world to balance itself out again. With all things being equal, it is about time to start on another win streak.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
Vonnegut entertains Case
|
|
Tuition to increase 10 percent next year
|
|
Adelbert Road bridge to be replaced in 2005, construction continues
|
|
City Club extends forums to students
|
|
Jan Hopkins speaks of experience at CNN, Citibank
|
|
Knowledge lecture series begins
|
|
Federal judge rules Microsoft violated patents on software
|
|
Congress may pass laws, dropping pell grant funds
|
|
Greek Update
|
|
The Brief Case
|
|
Lady Spartans sputter against Violets, Judges
|
|
Spartans split with Brandeis, NYU
|
|
Case teams turn out first place finishes at Spartan Relays
|
|
Crew club prepares for winter ergattas
|
|
Men defeat, women fall to swimming Wittenberg Tigers
|
|
Bored waiting for football? Watch the Cavs
|
|
Wrestlers finish second in the Second City
|
|
Finnigan Fields construction moves slowly but surely
|
|
Pats win second Super Bowl in three years, 32-29
|
|
Home Shopping poor replacement for sports
|
|
Editorial
|
|
Strategic voting in 2004
|
|
Letters to the Editor
|
|
Simple Plan guitarist discusses stereotypes, sellouts, losing MTV music award to 50 Cent
|
|
Punk bands sound great despite bad crowd
|
|
Where has all the folk music gone?
|
|
Art museum photography exhibit reveals natural lovin'
|
|
Simon's Dinner Party leaves audience hungry
|
|
Miracle: Adrenaline pumping, Communist-friendly fun
|
|
Side Trax
|
|
|
|
