CSR (Women's Basketball Falls To Alma in OT)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR JAN. 3, 2009

Women's Basketball Falls to Alma in OT

By Chaz Amidon

ALMA – John Ross can’t recall the last time his Knights were in a
three-game conference drought. Now he’ll have to figure out a way to end
one.

Calvin dropped a 58-54 overtime decision to Alma on Saturday, extending the
Knights’ MIAA losing streak to three games, dating back to a loss to Saint
Mary’s on Dec. 6.

Sarah Partridge banked in a runner with nine seconds left in regulation to tie
the game, but the Scots shot 4-of-6 from the field in the extra frame and used
a lone free throw from Lacey Best-Rowden with three seconds left to cement the
win.

“My first four years we lost a total of 17 games, so we’ve never had
this,” said Ross. “The only thing we can do is practice on Monday, get in
the gym…and things will turn around.”

“That’s key – good practices, weight room sessions, good work ethic in
practice.”

The Scots received an 18-point, 10-rebound effort from leading scorer Meagan
Hoblet to notch their first win over the Knights since 2003, where Alma
recorded a 54-37 win at the Calvin Fieldhouse.

The loss also put a dent in Ross’s previously unbeaten 12-0 record against
the Scots.

“They gave us everything they had,” said Ross. “I’ve got to give Coach
(Charlie) Goffnett a lot of credit.”

Partridge was one of three Knights to score in double figures, finishing with
a team-high 11 points to go along with seven rebounds. Brook Van Eck compiled
all of her 11 points after halftime, and Amber Benthem tallied seven of her 10
points after the break.

Trailing 45-41 with 1:46 remaining in the second half, Van Eck connected on a
left-handed hook to slice the Scots’ lead in half. Best-Rowden, an 82 percent
free-throw shooter, misfired on a pair of free throws that could have sealed
the game for Alma with 13 seconds left.

Leah Mattson fielded the outlet pass and spotted Partridge, who cut straight
down the center of the floor and hoisted a last-second floater just three feet
in front of the bucket.

“We definitely had momentum and I think everyone thought that,” Partridge
said of forcing overtime. “We thought we could outscore them in five minutes.
It was 0-0 at that point.”

But Hoblet rattled off six of Alma’s first 11 points in the extra session as
the Scots broke Calvin’s full court press and found their starting center for
a trio of uncontested lay-ins.

Marissa Walker, who nailed three 3-pointers in the first half, had a chance to
erase Alma’s 57-54 lead with seven seconds left, but the Scots’ Kathryn
Bigelow bottled her up in the right corner and forced Walker’s shot to fall
just short.

Bigelow finished with a game-high 12 rebounds, nine points, seven blocks, four
assists, and caused several of Calvin’s 18 turnovers.

“They definitely pushed the tempo, which made us push the tempo,” said
Partridge. “We didn’t really take advantage of that, trying to be
aggressive and driving for lay-ups or pushing the ball to the post.

“I think we could play a game like that, but we waited too long to be
aggressive.”

The Knights shot a mere 25 percent from the floor throughout, largely
accounting for their fifth loss in six games. Calvin was 77 percent from the
charity stripe, while Alma shot only 53 percent from the line.

Without Marcia Harris, the MIAA’s leading scorer at 19.3 points-per-game,
the Knights languished in the paint offensively, as Van Eck, Kacy Cryderman and
Lauren Roodvoets combined to score only 19 points.

Calvin outrebounded Alma 47-36 and collected a season-high 17 offensive
rebounds.

MIAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL STANDINGS THROUGH 1-3-09

Saint Mary's 4-0
Adrian 2-1
Alma 2-1
Hope 2-1
Olivet 2-1
Trine 2-2
Calvin 1-3
Albion 1-3
Kalamazoo 0-4

Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Sat Jan 3 20:07:26 2009