UMW Women’s Basketball: Eagles’ task gets tougher

MARYMOUNT’S VICTORY

GIVES SAINTS EDGE

FOR CAC TOURNAMENT

BY STEVE DeSHAZO

THE FREE LANCE–STAR

The road to the Capital Athletic Conference women’s basketball title now runs through Arlington after visiting Marymount’s 42–39 overtime victory over the University of Mary Washington on Saturday.

The Saints (18–4, 8–1 CAC) scored the game’s final six points to beat defending champion UMW (15–6, 7–2) for the second time this season. With three conference games left, Marymount essentially holds a two-game lead in the race for top seed in the CAC tournament.

“That’s huge,” said Saints guard Katelyn Fischer, who shrugged off a poor shooting day by hitting the go-ahead jump shot with 13 seconds left in overtime. “We’ve seen how hard it is to play here. We definitely need home-court advantage.”

Fischer, the reigning CAC player of the year, torched UMW for 22 points in a 58–43 victory in Arlington last month. On Saturday, the Eagles used four different players to shadow her and held her to seven points on 2-for-10 shooting.

“I felt like I couldn’t breathe,” Fischer said.

But she had five assists and five steals and finally got loose for a 10-foot jumper that put the Saints ahead 40–39. On UWM’s final possession, Marymount’s Kievanna Lacey stole a pass and scored on a layup as the final buzzer sounded. Lacey led the Saints with 13 points.

“It’s always going to be a nitty-gritty, down-to-the-last-possession game any time Marymount and Mary Washington play,” Saints coach Ashlee Courter said.

Saturday’s game lived up to that expectation. Marymount won despite shooting just 28 percent from the floor, and the teams combined to go 1 for 26 from 3-point range.

UMW wasted a 14-point, 15-rebound effort from senior center Carol Dye and 13 points from junior guard Sam Partonen. The Eagles had 24 turnovers and went just 8 from 15 from the foul line and 1 for 19 from long distance.

“Last time, we didn’t give them much of a game,” Eagles coach Deena Applebury said. “We just have to continue to find a way to keep getting a little bit better—whether it’s shooting better from the foul line, boxing out, hanging on to the ball. The kids showed some toughness. We just have to clean things up.”

UMW will host Bridgewater on Monday in a non-conference game before returning to CAC play Wednesday at Wesley (Del.).

Marymount (18–4, 8–1): Tynisha Parks 11, Miranda Krott 3, Katelyn Fischer 7, Kievanna Lacey 13, Aileen Maknati 6, Anna Lies 0, Dominique Dickens 2, Samantha Kane 0. Totals: 16 10–15 42.

Mary Washington (15–6, 7–2): Aby Diop 0, Aubrey Howlan 6, Carol Dye 14, Sam Partonen 13, Erin Drumheller 0, Amanda Witmer 0, Caitlin Ciniero 0, Claire Haeuptle 4, Brieneke Matthes 2. Totals: 15 8–15 39.

Halftime: 13–13. Regulation: 34–34. Three-point baskets: Marymount 0; UMW 1 (Partonen). Rebounds: Marymount 42 (Parks 10); UMW 40 (Dye 15).

Steve DeShazo: 540/374-5443

sdeshazo@freelancestar.com

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