W. basketball records dual losses in St. Louis

By: Tristan Mohabir

Posted: 12/4/08

The Hopkins women's basketball team had a tough outing this past weekend, losing both games they played in the McWilliams Classic at Washington University in St. Louis.

In the first of two contests of the weekend, the Lady Jays faced Carthage on Saturday. Carthage scored the first points of the game on a layup, but Hopkins would own the lead after that, up until the final two minutes of the first half. Senior guard Caitlin Sloane led the way for Hopkins in the early stages, scoring eight straight points in the first half, including two three-point field goals. Sloane's play helped give the Jays a 21-12 advantage with 6:10 to play in the first half. The Lady Reds then went on a furious 16-6 run, regaining the lead and heading into halftime up 28-27.

At the start of the second half, Carthage gamed out of the gates quickly, going on a 23-7 run and storming to a 17-point lead with 10:27 to play. The Jays responded with a 6-0 run of their own, after four free throws and a layup by sophomore forward Lyndsay Burton at 7:10. Hopkins cut the lead down to nine after a three-pointer from freshman guard Chantel Mattiola brought the score to 57-48. Carthage proved to be too much, however, pulling away in the final four minutes to earn a 68-50 victory. Junior guard Katie Biggart led the Jays, scoring a career-high 10 points and shooting 2-for-4 from long range. Katie Jarger had 21 points to lead Carthage. With the loss, Hopkins slipped to 1-3 on the season, while Carthage improved to 3-1 and advanced to the tournament's championship game to play the host Washington University Bears.

On Sunday, the Jays faced off against the Whittier Poets in the tournament's consolation game. Caitlin Sloane got Hopkins started off on the right foot, hitting two three-pointers in the first three minutes of the game. Junior guard Anastasia Wynn had an explosive first half, scoring 11 of her 14 points in the period. At halftime, the Jays headed into the locker room down 47-50. Senior forward Kristin Phillips tied the game at 52 with 11:07 left to play after hitting a pair of free throws. The Poets took a four-point lead before Phillips hit another free throw. After a Whittier field goal, junior guard Britni Lonesome hit a layup and was fouled. Lonesome made the free throw and converted the three-point play, cutting the Poets' lead to 59-56. Freshman forward Gena Upshaw picked a good time to score the first point of her career, sinking two free throws with 6:32 left to play to bring the Jays within one point.

On the next trip upcourt, co-captain Jenna Berninger hit a layup to give Hopkins its first lead since 12:49 in the first half, 60-59. After a pair of Whittier field goals, Upshaw scored again, this time on a layup, recapturing the lead for Hopkins. Phillips added another free throw before Whittier hit two of their own. Phillips made a layup at the three-minute mark, and Wynn added a free throw to give the Jays a three-point lead. Hopkins couldn't hold on, however, and Whittier scored the game's final nine points to slip by with the win, 72-66. Wynn scored a season-high 14 points and grabbed six rebounds, while Sloane and Lonesome each had eight points, a season high for Lonesome. Kristin Phillips recorded a double-double, tallying 14 points and 12 rebounds, earning all-tournament team honors with her performance. Every Lady Jay saw playing time in the game. With the loss, Hopkins falls to 1-4 on the season.

Despite the losses, the team remains optimistic.

"We lost both games but learned a lot against some good competition out in the Midwest," junior guard Steph Kielb said. "We know what it takes to compete with all of the teams in our conference, and we are confident that we have gotten the kinks worked out in some pre-season losses."

With conference play beginning, the Jays are looking to step their game up. "Our performance this weekend was not indicative of the type of team we are or the level of play we are capable of playing at. We expect to improve everyday, and although there will always be some setbacks in any season, we certainly don't anticipate the rest of the season to continue this way," Biggart said. "As a team, we have so much potential and all the pieces are in place for a very successful season."

The Jays are set to return to action on Tuesday at 7 p.m., opening their Centennial Conference schedule hosting Franklin & Marshall.