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FORT WAYNE,
Ind. –
The University of Saint Francis women's basketball team
trailed Concordia University 25-20 just past the midway
point in the first half Saturday. The Lady Cougars closed
the period on a 21-2 run to take a 41-27 lead into the break
and kept the momentum throughout the final 20 minutes for an
82-54 victory.
"The [21-2]
run was key," USF head coach Gary Andrews said. "After that
we played pretty well and our defense only got better."
The USF
defense forced 16 turnovers and pulled down 34 defensive
rebounds. Jessica Hathaway wiped the defensive glass for 11
boards, finishing with 13 overall. She also blocked two
shots on the afternoon.
The Lady
Cougar offense also was much sharper than in most of the
season opener. Eight different USF players scored six or
more points, led by Chivonn Keppeler's 14, and the team
finished with 21 assists.
"We had good
balance which shows we can be difficult to guard," Andrews
said. "We moved the ball well too and started to look like
last year's team [28-8, NAIA Division II Final Four] at
times, which is a good thing."
Following
Keppeler in the scoring column were Toni Burney and Tara
Dice with 11 apiece, Hathaway and Nikki Lewis with
nine and Marie Kauffman with seven.
Liane Patson
came off the bench to lead Concordia with 12 points. Jakcin
Marr, another sub, reached double figures with 10.
USF hits the
road for the first time in 2006-07 Monday, Nov. 6, at
Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Mich. The Lady Cougars and
Saints tip at 7 p.m.
--
GO USF -- |
