CSR (NCAA III Tournament Run Continues for Women's Basketball)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2007 (Part Two)

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
(Written by Annalise Venhuizen '08)

Calvin 60, Southern Maine 56

BOSTON, MA -- The NCAA Division III Tournament Sectional game between Calvin
(28-2) and 2006 national runner-up Southern Maine (27-3) this evening "was a
rollercoaster," Calvin Head Coach John Ross said. "Like the one we've been on
for the last three weeks." The narrow 60-56 victory is enough to keep the
Knights rolling on the thrilling ride as they have advanced to the Elite Eight.
 

The Knights played a solid first half right from start as junior Nikki
Zimmerman (Traverse City/Traverse City West) hit a three-pointer to begin all
scoring. When Zimmerman made another three four minutes later, Calvin still
held a 8-5 lead. Led almost single-handedly by senior Ashley Marble, Southern
Maine kept a close hold on Calvin, regaining the lead at 8-9, 10-11, and 17-18.
 

With a well-rounded team effort over the next nine minutes, Calvin went on a
14-2 scoring run that included points from five players and two three-pointers
from junior Lindsey Peuler (Grandville/Grandville) to put the Knights far ahead
33-22. Marble made two free-throws before the end of the first half, in which
she scored 17 of the Huskies' 24 first half points. Calvin had a 33-24 lead
at halftime.

Given Southern Maine's scoring patterns, Calvin altered itsdefensive strategy
for the second half, a decision that cost the Knights the lead. "I think we
made a mistake there. We tried to double-team Marble but that defensive
strategy kicked us in the rear end," Ross said. Southern Maine outscored
Calvin 32-27 in the second half.

Through points by Winkle, Zimmerman, and freshman Brooke VanEck
(Lowell/Lowell), Calvin managed to hang on to a substantial lead through the
first five minutes. But as the Huskies began to mimic Calvin's well-rounded
offensive strategy, Southern Maine came out of a 13-2 run with a four-point
48-44 lead with nine minutes remaining.

At this point, Calvin needed a and some points. Both came from freshman
Marissa Walker (Cedar Springs/Cedar Springs) who checked in off the bench,
stepped to the top of the arch, and sunk a three-pointer to end the drought.
"Marissa Walker's three was key to this game," said Ross. "She hit it at just
the right time, when nobody was scoring."

Peuler immediately followed with a lay-up to restore the Calvin lead at 49-48.
 But Southern Maine was too close to back down and matched Calvin
point-for-point, the score tied at 51, 53, and 54. A lay-up from junior
Rachael Willett (Rockford/Rockford) at the 2:12 mark and two made free-throws
from Winkle at 1:34 put Calvin up 58-54.

Marble closed the gap to two with a lay-up at 1:20, and neither team scored
for the next minute during which Calvin led 58-56. Southern Maine fouls put
both Zimmerman and sophomore Sarah Partridge (East Lansing/East Lansing) at the
line. Each made a free throw, enough for the narrow 60-56 victory.

Though Calvin is missing its No. 1 and No. 3 scoring leaders in sophomores
Marcia Harris (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian) and Kristi Brummel (Byron
Center/South Christian), "the team just keeps going and going," Coach Ross
said.

The bench again stepped up for the Knights as VanEck was Calvin's leading
scorer with 14 points as she was 6-for-10 from the floor. "This might have been
Brook VanEck's best game of her life," Ross said. "What a great time for her
to come in and have an amazing game." Partridge added also six points off the
bench, and Walker sunk her crucial three.

Winkle had her 47th collegiate double-double (17th of the season) with 13
points and 13 rebounds. Zimmerman contributed 12 points, while Willett and
Peuler had six apiece.

Southern Maine was led in defeat by Marble, who had 32 points and nine
rebounds. Teammates Stacey Kent and Angela Santa Fe followed with eight points
each.

Saturday's 7:00 appearance in National Quarterfinal play will be Calvin's
second in three years as the 2004-2005 team got as far as that round. Calvin
will face the winner of tonight's other sectional game between host Emmanuel
College and DePauw.

Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Fri Mar 9 20:39:52 2007