2008 Woodie Awards
Women's Basketball falls in third straight PSAC West game
By Randy Klins
Rocket Staff Writer
Issue date: 2/10/06 Section: Sports
The Slippery Rock University women's basketball team had a couple of near misses this week in its quest to have a winning season for the first time since 2002.
SRU lost two straight games against the two top teams in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's Western division.
The Rock suffered a 56-48 setback to Edinboro Wednesday night, and a 57-54 overtime loss to California, Monday. The Rock (11-12 overall, 3-5 PSAC West) is currently locked in a three-way tie for fourth place and the final playoff spot with Lock Haven (14-7, 3-5) and Clarion (12-11, 3-5).
In the game against the Fighting Scots, the Rock jumped out to an early lead again, but couldn't carry the momentum far along into the game.
The Rock opened up the game on a 13-4 run.
But then the Scots erupted, going on a 25-11 run opening up its biggest lead of the first half, 31-17.
The Rock scored the final six points of the first half and cut the lead to four at the five- minute mark of the second half.
But that's the closest SRU got in the second half as the Fighting Scots used a variety of players to slowly put the game away.
Maria Divecchio scored 18 points while Kelly Calderone had 17 to lead the Scots, who improved to 17-5 overall and 5-2 in the PSAC West.
Schake was the leading scorer again for the Rock, scoring 14 points.
Monday's loss was especially demoralizing because the Rock jumped out to a 21-9 at halftime and a 26-9 lead three and a half minutes into the second half.
Early in the overtime period, the Rock committed four straight turnovers to help Cal jump out to a five-point lead.
Senior point guard Amber McFeely said giving the ball away in the second half and overtime hurt the team's chances.
"They (Cal) started full court pressing us," McFeely said. "And we didn't handle the pressure and make the right decisions at the right times. In overtime we had four critical turnovers that definitely cost us the game."
SRU lost two straight games against the two top teams in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's Western division.
The Rock suffered a 56-48 setback to Edinboro Wednesday night, and a 57-54 overtime loss to California, Monday. The Rock (11-12 overall, 3-5 PSAC West) is currently locked in a three-way tie for fourth place and the final playoff spot with Lock Haven (14-7, 3-5) and Clarion (12-11, 3-5).
In the game against the Fighting Scots, the Rock jumped out to an early lead again, but couldn't carry the momentum far along into the game.
The Rock opened up the game on a 13-4 run.
But then the Scots erupted, going on a 25-11 run opening up its biggest lead of the first half, 31-17.
The Rock scored the final six points of the first half and cut the lead to four at the five- minute mark of the second half.
But that's the closest SRU got in the second half as the Fighting Scots used a variety of players to slowly put the game away.
Maria Divecchio scored 18 points while Kelly Calderone had 17 to lead the Scots, who improved to 17-5 overall and 5-2 in the PSAC West.
Schake was the leading scorer again for the Rock, scoring 14 points.
Monday's loss was especially demoralizing because the Rock jumped out to a 21-9 at halftime and a 26-9 lead three and a half minutes into the second half.
Early in the overtime period, the Rock committed four straight turnovers to help Cal jump out to a five-point lead.
Senior point guard Amber McFeely said giving the ball away in the second half and overtime hurt the team's chances.
"They (Cal) started full court pressing us," McFeely said. "And we didn't handle the pressure and make the right decisions at the right times. In overtime we had four critical turnovers that definitely cost us the game."
