On Women’s Basketball with Chris Simmons
After a slow start in the season, the women’s basketball team has finally started to click.
While displaying a strong defense, the team lost its first two games averaging only 42.5 points per game.
But in the next three games, all against Ivy League opponents, the Stags came alive, winning two of three and averaging 71.6 points.
The Stags continued to press on in Tuesday’s game against Boston College, trailing the Eagles 64-58.
A big reason for this resurgence has been the play of junior guard Sabra Wrice.
A preseason first team All-MAAC selection, she had not lived up to her offensive billing early on. But during the past few games, she has been able to get to the line more often, where she is shooting 80 percent. Her scoring average has risen to 14.2 per game, third in the MAAC.
Head Coach Dianne Nolan felt that the players were thinking too much about their shots and therefore rushing. But in the recent games this has not been a problem.
“We are getting more in sync with each other. Knowing roles and looking for each other better,” she said.
This kind of play only comes with experience, which could help explain the Stags’ slow start. The players were still trying to adjust to playing with each other, especially with five new freshmen on the team, some of whom are playing significant roles on the team.
Freshman center Tara Flaherty has started all five games so far this year and leads the team in rebounding, averaging 7.2 per game, good enough for fourth in the MAAC.
Fellow freshman Stephanie Geehan has also come up big, averaging nearly 20 minutes off the bench. She too is averaging seven rebounds per game. The freshmen’s combined efforts are one reason Fairfield is ranked first in rebounding offense in the MAAC.
Nolan recognized that the Stags would need to improve their rebounding numbers to compete this year and made it one of the focal points in practice.
“We have been working on it from day one. We do at least two box-out rebounding drills in practice each day,” she said.
Sophomore forward Baendu Lowenthal, who led the team in boards last year, is contributing even more this year. She is averaging 10.8 points per game along with pulling down 4.6 rebounds per game.
More importantly may be her in-your-face defense. She can always be recognized as the Stag screaming “Ball!” while shoving her hands in the opponent’s face or diving for the loose ball. It is this type of passionate play that has the Stags ready to play every game.
“Loyalty and discipline, we try to instill those attributes in the players daily. They really enjoy each other and have fun with the game,” said Nolan.
The players’ play, along with their new pre-game ritual for this season is evidence of this mindset.
The players form a circle with freshman center Kendra Hussey in the center playing a Ray Lewis-esque role. Lowenthal says that the ritual was inspired by the players’ locker room behavior along with their close bond.
Fairfield’s defense relies heavily on such intense pressure. Junior guard Meka Werts has an impressive 11 steals already this year in only five games while fellow junior guard Sabra Wrice has nine along with Lowenthal.
The Stags’ defense relies on its pressure and its ability to force turnovers. They are averaging a remarkable 11.2 steals per game along with 5.4 blocks per game, leading the MAAC in both categories.
“Our motto is passion,” said Nolan.
That single sentiment sums up the season thus far for the Stags.
The Stags’ improvement was put to its toughest test yet this season against BC on Tuesday night.
BC had been ranked as high as 22nd in the nation this season and took a sixth ranked Ohio State team to the wire, falling only in double overtime. They boast one of the top inside-outside duos in the country with 6-4 senior Kathrin Ress and the sharp-shooting senior Kindyll Dorsey.
In order to stop them, Nolan devised some different looks.
“We are going to change it up a little. We are going to faceguard Ress, and put pressure on the passers,” she said.
She also planned to play some box-and-one and other zone defenses in order to show the Eagles something new.
They came so close to gaining a victory, falling just short, 64-58. Fairfield held a lead as late in the game as the second half with 14 minutes left.
They were also able to contain Dorsey, limiting her to two points and only two shots from the field.
However, Fairfield struggled to contain the play of Ress. She scored 10 of her game high 26 points in the final five minutes of the game while also pulling down 12 rebounds.
Fairfield’s usually strong rebounding was a non-factor as they were out-rebounded 33-18.
Yet, they still played the Eagles tough and were able to force 23 turnovers while giving the ball back only 13 times themselves.
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