GOSHEN, Ind. –The Goshen College women’s basketball team improved to a .500 record with an impressive 67-60 victory over Madonna University in Goshen on Saturday, Dec. 8.
“This was a very important win coming off disappointing performances our last two games and wanting to get back to .500,” said Goshen head coach Steve Wiktorowski. “We got off to a very good start, especially for a team that was just coming off final exams.”
Goshen (5-5, 0-1) jumped out to an early 14-4 lead, thanks in large part to successfully establishing Cassie Greives, a first-year center, on the inside and playing stifling team defense. During that run, Greives registered six points and Krystal Duensing, a junior, and Kimmie Hummer, a sophomore, had a steal each.
The Leaf defense limited the Crusaders to four points until almost eight minutes into the game, when Caryn Inman, who finished with a game-high 19 points, connected on a jumper with 12:18 remaining in the first half.
With its offensive tactics failing, Madonna picked up its defensive intensity, switching to full-court press and promptly forced four straight turnovers. Madonna took advantage of the Leafs’ scoring drought and slowly pulled itself back into the game, closing the gap to 28-25 at intermission.
“Madonna made a nice move and went to a very aggressive and physical trapping press which really changed the momentum of the game and put us on our heels,” said Wiktorowski. “We were able to carry a lead into halftime but had clearly lost momentum.”
Katie Sowers, who finished with a team-high 15 points, began to exert her influence in the second period. The Leafs scored nine points in the opening five minutes of play, and Sowers scored or assisted on each of them. On the opening possession, Sowers set up Lindsay Gangloff, then moments later provided another assist to Greives.
With Madonna threatening to take the lead at 32-31, Sowers drove the lane and was fouled while connecting on a tough running jumper. After a fitting fist-pump, she calmly sank the free throw to complete the three-point play. Sowers finished off her display with a lay-up, putting the Leafs up 37-33 with 15 minutes to play.
“We talked a lot about relaxing and mentally handling their pressure defense and I thought we improved against it the second half and even began to score baskets against their press,” said Wiktorowski.
However, the game was far from over, and Madonna took a 43-41 lead with 9:41 to play on a lay-up by Inman. The Crusaders added a free-throw to increase the lead by one point two minutes later.
Goshen stayed close, thanks to a lay-up by Greives and pulled even on a free throw by Gangloff with 7:23 remaining. Again, it was Sowers who provided much-needed scoring with a jumper and a pair of free throws, the latter giving the Leafs a 48-46 lead they would not relinquish again.
Down the stretch, Goshen fed off of some opportune three-pointers from Ashley Hummer, a sophomore guard, and Duensing. Duensing, who converted 3 of 4 from long range on the evening, hit her biggest of the game to give the Leafs a 59-52 advantage with 1:48 to play. Madonna was forced to foul the rest of the way, and Goshen responded with a perfect 6-6 from the charity stripe.
Goshen shot 41.2 percent from three-point range on the evening, compared with 22.7 percent for Madonna.
Wiktorowski said he was pleased with his team’s balanced scoring attack, and especially the performance of his guards. “Krystal Duensing and Ashley Hummer shot the three like they can, and Kimmie Hummer was clutch from the line and at the point,” he said.
“Katie Sowers bounced back from a disappointing game at Wesleyan with a strong inside/outside performance on offense and made a key defensive play late. Cassie Greives continues to give us a strong inside presence despite battling foul trouble today.”
In addition to Sower’s 15 points, Greives added 13 points, Kimmie and Ashley Hummer scored 10 each, Duensing had 9 and Gangloff had 8. Greives also grabbed a team-high six rebounds, while Kimmie Hummer dished out four assists and connected on all 10 of her free-throw attempts.
Wiktorowski also recognized Sierra Buse and Jessica Carney for contributing solid minutes and continued improvement in their first collegiate seasons.
The Leafs will travel to South Bend on Tuesday for a game with IUSB at 7:00 p.m.
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2007-2008 Season News
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Senior Katie Sowers