By Ronald Hanaki
Sports Editor
ESU’s Women’s Basketball team defeated the Cheyney University Wolves 79-70 at Koehler Fieldhouse last Saturday afternoon on Alumni Day for its twelfth win of the season.
Eight days ago, Millersville University embarrassed ESU by beating the Warriors 69-48. So for the first time this season, Head Coach Diane Decker decided to send a message to her starters by giving freshman point guard Abby Schoffstall her first start of the season over sophomore point guard Jordan Hertz.
But Schoffstall had a quiet game with three points and two assists in nine minutes of play.
Instead, it was the veterans who responded. The Warriors were led by their stalwart senior guard Imani Brown. Brown scored 30 points and had four assists and three steals.
After a breakout season last year, junior guard Noelle Powell has struggled with her shot this season. But Powell came off the bench to score 15 points in 20 minutes of play.
Sophomore guard Tiffany Lapotsky contributed eight points, and freshman center Marlene Bassett added six more for the Warriors.
ESU led this game from wire-to-wire, so the outcome was never in doubt. However, this game was significant because sophomore center Alison Bauman suffered an apparent left knee injury early in the first half.
An anguished Bauman was down on the court for several minutes before being helped off the court by the trainers. She was later seen on crunches supporting the team on the court.
As a result, freshman forward Kaitlyn Swint came off the bench and played 11 minutes in relief of Bassett. Swint finished with seven points and three blocked shots.
ESU’s team shooting has been inconsistent this season. But the Warriors shot a respectable 43.7% from the field and 39.1% from the three-point line in this game.
Currently, ESU sits in second place with a three-game lead over Kutztown in the PSAC East. The top two seeds in the PSAC East will earn first round byes in the postseason PSAC Tournament beginning at the end of February.
The Warriors (12-6, 10-4) will visit Mansfield (7-14, 5-10) and play the Mounties this Saturday afternoon. Earlier in the season, ESU defeated Mansfield 83-79 in an overtime thriller on Dec. 30.
Email Ronald at:
rhanaki@live.esu.edu
