Category Archives: women’s basketball

Dazzling Dozen

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The Muhlenberg women’s basketball team improved to 12-0 with a 62-54 win at Franklin & Marshall last night, joining a select group of Mule teams in any sport to begin a season with a dozen wins in a row.

How select is it? The current team is only the third all-time to start off with at least 12 victories.

The all-time record is held by the 1990 field hockey team (below), which won its first 14 games to climb to No. 5 in the national rankings. The streak – and the season – came to a crashing end with a 4-0 loss to No. 2 Messiah in the Middle Atlantic Conference semifinals.

The women’s basketball team started out 13-0 in 2001-02 before suffering a 65-53 loss at Swarthmore. That team also had its season end in the conference semifinals, dropping a 53-52 decision to Western Maryland to finish with a record of 21-4.

Here is a complete list of all the Muhlenberg teams to reach double digits in wins before they lost, with their final records in parentheses:

14-0
Field hockey, 1990 (14-1)
13-0
Women’s basketball, 2001-02 (21-4)
12-0
Women’s basketball, 2011-12 (??)
11-0
Football, 2007 (11-1)
Women’s basketball, 2006-07 (19-7)
Volleyball, 1993 (20-4)
Men’s soccer, 1989 (18-2)
Women’s tennis, 1986 (11-1)
Men’s basketball, 1944-45 (24-4)
Baseball, 1928 (11-0)
10-0
Women’s basketball, 2003-04 (19-7)
Men’s soccer, 1987 (16-3-1)
Men’s soccer, 1970 (11-2-1)

Of these teams, only 2007 football and 1989 men’s soccer won their conference championships, proving that it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.

One other Muhlenberg team went longer from the start of a season without a loss. Last year, men’s soccer was undefeated in its first 15 games, with a record of 9-0-6, before falling to Swarthmore.

If the women’s basketball team defeats Gettysburg tomorrow, it will tie the program records for best start and longest winning streak. The Mules would also tie the Centennial Conference record for best start in women’s basketball, held jointly by the 2002 Muhlenberg team and the 2010 Gettysburg team.

Incidentally, Gettysburg’s 13-0 start two years ago was broken by a visiting Muhlenberg team on January 14.

Dream to Read

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Tuesday afternoon, the members of the Muhlenberg men’s and women’s basketball teams visited Jefferson Elementary School in Allentown to take part in “Dream to Read.”

The players read books to the first- and second-grade students about the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his work to connect communities and work together toward shared goals. After reading, the players helped the students decorate placemats with images of their own dreams for the future, which will be donated to the Meals on Wheels program.

Some students even got a chance to do the “Tooty Ta” dance with the players after finishing their placemats.

“It’s always great to come out and read to these students,” senior Katy Rossino (above) said. “It’s easy to forget just how lucky we all are, and hopefully we were able to give these kids an idea of what can happen when you pursue your goals.”

“Dream to Read” is an annual event and collaboration among Jefferson Elementary School, Muhlenberg College and the Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley. The Volunteer Center donates books to each classroom as well as t-shirts for all the students.

Click here for a photo gallery from Dream to Read.

Click here for Service Electric TV2’s coverage of Dream to Read.

Win-Win Proposition

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Bus rides home have been pretty enjoyable for the Muhlenberg men’s and women’s basketball teams. Of course when both teams win as much as they have this season, just about everything feels better.

Thanks to two of the best starts in program history, the Mules find themselves in some pretty select company when it comes to wins and losses. At the beginning of the week, Muhlenberg was one of just three programs in Division III (out of roughly 400) to have both teams combine for two or fewer losses.

The women's team cheers in the background following the men's game-winning shot at Moravian.

And even though the men’s squad (9-3) fell last night, it is still off to its best start since 2002. Muhlenberg is one of just 10 programs in the country that has suffered no more than three combined losses.

The hot starts have created an infectious culture of winning, which according to senior Kathleen Naddaff has helped both squads feed off of each other’s success.

“We hang out a lot, so we always love to see the men’s team win,” she said. “We cheer them on, and seeing them win makes us want to go out and win even more. It’s really cool to see Muhlenberg basketball, as a whole, ranking up there with some of the best in the country.”

A key to the success has been their prolific offenses. Entering the week, Muhlenberg was one of just six schools in the NCAA, regardless of division (roughly 1,000 schools), to have both teams averaging more than 80 points per game.

The women (11-0), who rank second in Division III in scoring through Sunday’s games, have used their high-scoring ways to rank third in the country in scoring margin (24.1 points per game). The men, meanwhile, check in at No. 40 (12.1 points per game).

Aside from being friends off the court, the two teams are some of each other’s biggest fans.

During doubleheaders, the men’s squad is there supporting the women’s team. And when the men take the floor, the women’s team is in the stands cheering them on.

According to Liddic, seeing the women win helps get the winning juices flowing for the men’s team.

“It’s always great to see them get a big win,” Liddic said. “That kind of pumps us up and makes us want to go out and get one too. We hang out a lot both on game days and outside of basketball, and I think we definitely feed off of each other.”

One very noticeable difference this season has been the liveliness of the post-game bus rides.

When the teams split on the road, one squad is in the mood to celebrate while the other is dealing with a loss. But when the Mules sweep a doubleheader, like they did at McDaniel on Saturday, the trips home seem to pass by much more quickly and are a lot more fun.

That joyous feeling is one that both teams hope to experience a lot more as the conference season heats up. And if the two teams keep playing at a high level, Naddaff said there’s no reason why it can’t continue beyond the regular season.

“We like to joke around and have fun on the bus,” she said. “And when we both win, you can definitely tell it’s a little louder and everybody’s happy. We’re both off to pretty good starts, and hopefully we can keep it up and get both teams into the postseason.”

 

Musical Mules

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It has become an annual tradition for the Muhlenberg women’s basketball team to attend a Broadway play during Winter Break. For unlike the rest of the students, our team is already back on campus working on becoming better basketball players. We are currently 2-0 in the New Year and 11-0 overall.

On Sunday, however, we took a nice break and headed into New York City to enjoy a fun day together, no basketball involved. Our team is very close and we look forward to having the opportunity to spend time together for this fun event each year. This year we decided to see the show Memphis, which won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2010. Also, the music incorporated in the production is by Bon Jovi member David Bryan.

The story is about the prominence of segregation in the city of Memphis during the 1950s, specifically in the music scene. A white radio DJ named Huey Calhoun longs to show the rest of the white people in Memphis how great the underground African-American music scene is. During that process, he falls for a black club singer but must keep it out of the public eye because interracial relationships were berated by all during that time period. But Huey does not care what anyone else thinks, for he knows that he is morally right in seeking equality and acceptance for African-Americans.

Even though some of us (ok, maybe just me) were not exactly thrilled that Memphis began before the Giants game was over, we definitely enjoyed ourselves. The music was soulful and upbeat and the singers/dancers were incredibly talented. The performers on stage proved that hard work pays off, which is a positive reminder of how important it is for our team to continue striving to get better. We cannot settle for being a good basketball team, we have to push each other every day in practice to be great.

And although perfection is certainly unattainable, a perfect record is not. But in order to keep us at zero losses, we have to play our hardest every day because a great team doesn’t take days off (unless it’s to attend a Broadway play of course). Yet we did get a fair amount of exercise walking the streets of Manhattan prior to the show starting, and we deserve to have a little fun, right?

— Julie Kelly 

Athletes/Plays of the Week

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For the first week of 2012, we not only have athletes of the week, but also plays of the week.

Female Athlete of the Week – Kate Clawson, Basketball

Clawson scored 30 points on 68.8 percent shooting from the field and pulled down 10 rebounds in a pair of wins for the Mules. She tied for the team lead with nine points against Dickinson, then poured in a career-high 21 – including Muhlenberg’s last seven of the game – at McDaniel.

Female Play of the Week – Alexandra Chili’s pass

Late in the first half against McDaniel, Chili threw a behind-the-back pass in stride to Alita Zabrecky for a fastbreak layup that drew oohs and aahs from the crowd. Click here to watch video of the play.

Male Athlete of the Week – Spencer Liddic, Basketball

Liddic had game highs of 25 points and 11 rebounds to lead Muhlenberg to a 71-70 win at McDaniel in its first game of 2012. Liddic was 10-of-14 from the field and scored 16 points in the second half, including eight in the last 5:30 as the Mules overcame a 10-point deficit. His jumper kicked off a game-ending 10-1 run in the last two minutes, and his rebound of a missed free throw started the possession that ended with the winning points.

Male Play of the Week – Matt O’Hara’s pass

With the Mules scrambling to catch up in the final minute, O’Hara gathered a tipped offensive rebound, took a quick shot, then hustled after the rebound and touched a pass to Malique Killing in the corner. Killing drained a three to make the score 70-69 with 28 seconds left. Click here to watch video of the play.

System Mechanics

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Junior Julie Kelly of the women’s basketball team writes about the Mules’ style of mass substitutions and pressure defense and how it has helped them win their first nine games.

“Colleen, you’re the one. Julie, you’re the two. Kim, you’re the three. Erin, you’re the four. Katy, you’re the five. At the 17-minute mark, go!”

As the season has progressed, the Muhlenberg women’s basketball team has become accustomed to hearing Coach Ron Rohn emphatically calling for a hockey-style “line change” at different points during the game. “The System,” as it is called, is a way of rotating players in for short spans at a time – five in and five out. Since we know we won’t be in for very long, we are encouraged to go all out and work our butts off by trapping all over the court and pushing the ball after the other team turns it over. The goal is to wear the other team down by utilizing our conditioning and deep bench.

Having 18 girls on a team is, at first glance, completely overwhelming. However, “The System” is a way for all players to be involved, even if it means only for two minutes in the first half. I can guarantee that if you are working as hard as Coach Rohn wants you to be, you will be winded after that small amount of time anyway.

Sometimes we play fullcourt man-to-man defense, and we must pressure the other team all the way down the court to the other end. Other times we run all over the court trying to trap, tip passes and shoot the gap to get steals. Coach finds it crucial to put in people with fresh legs in this style of play so that they are prepared to exert the effort it takes to be successful.

And though it can be a bit hectic, playing this type of basketball has proven to be effective thus far, for our team is undefeated heading into Winter Break. In addition, we are averaging over 80 points a game, as is the men’s team.

Now that we are all home in our different states, we have two weeks to relax and spend time with our families. When we get back on January 1st, however, it’s back to working hard to get better as a team. We know what we want to accomplish this season: win the conference, make a run in the NCAA Tournament, and hopefully do as well as we did there last year, even better.

But until it is time to get back to practicing daily, we’ll be eating Christmas cookies and enjoying time with our families, sneaking in a run here and there. It truly is “the most wonderful time of the year.” And ending 2011 an undefeated team, makes it that much more exciting for the New Year of basketball to begin.

One Down, Seven to Go

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“I can’t believe I am already done with my first semester here at Muhlenberg. It seems like it was just yesterday that I was being moved into my dorm room …”

Time flies, especially when you are a busy college student-athlete. We asked several Muhlenberg freshman athletes, all of whom completed or are currently in the middle of their seasons, to write about their first-semester experiences and how they were able to adjust academically, athletically and socially. Here’s what they had to say:

Becca Doss, Cross Country

Joining a team was an adjustment in itself. I went from being a top runner with the same girls for six years to being at the back of the pack on a completely new team.

Despite this, the team definitely made the whole college adjustment nice and smooth. The upperclassmen have been really great about showing us freshmen the wonders of Muhlenberg (like the fro-yo machine, good study spots, the cross country house, etc.). It amazes me how quickly we have become so close.

The commitment has really helped me with time management and keeping an academic focus. It was hard at first to see people getting ready to go out Friday nights while I stayed in to do homework. But I also chilled with teammates and it was all right because we were all in it together.

Even after that and after waking up early every Saturday morning, our performances were worth the sacrifices. We work really hard and have a lot of fun and are always there for each other. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

Krissy Fioretti, Women’s Soccer

When I got to school, the only thing I knew for sure was that preseason was going to be really challenging and really hot. I got recruited by other schools, but not Muhlenberg, so I didn’t know if I was even going to make the team. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I knew it would be a lot different from high school. I almost didn’t play because I was so nervous I wouldn’t like it.

About two weeks in, I knew I made the right choice. I love everyone on the team and am so glad I got to meet them all. We have great team chemistry led by the best captains and I couldn’t have asked to be on a better team for my first season.

The biggest adjustment was definitely the speed of play. I learned right away that I would have to work really hard to get used to playing at such a fast pace for the entire game. I was very excited to find out I would start on defense in the first game and for the whole season. This surprised me a lot but made me work even harder throughout the season and continue to work hard now that season is over.

The change to college academics was a lot less difficult than I anticipated. I have always had to balance sports and school, so it was exactly what I was used to, and my high school did a great job preparing me for college classes. I knew what to expect in them and how to organize all the work I received so I could get it done in a reasonable amount of time.

Ian Gimbar, Football

There was a huge adjustment I needed to make in terms of my academic workload. Having a busy schedule during the season actually helped me out a lot because it forced me to get as much as I could done in the time I had.

With football, I was very grateful to have gotten a large amount of playing time as a freshman. I had expectations of just getting on the field any way possible, but as I moved up the depth chart and some opportunities opened up, I got a chance to see some significant playing time.

The game is much faster and bigger than it was in high school, but in the end, it is still just football.

Emily Lesher, Women’s Basketball

It took me a week or two in the beginning of the semester to adjust to the whole “college lifestyle.” For me, the two biggest adjustments were not seeing my family every day and learning how to budget my time so I could get all of my work done. I am very close with my family back at home, so it was challenging for me to adjust to not seeing or talking with them every day.

However, my initial homesickness was eased when I realized that I have “family” here: my team. I met all of the other freshman on the team the first day I got here and we instantly started to bond. We became close friends with each other really quickly and supported each other as we all transitioned to life here in Allentown. The upperclassmen on the team also did an amazing job helping us freshmen feel at home … The team definitely made my transition to college life a million times easier, because they were kind of like a “built-in” support system and group of friends.

I haven’t played a lot this year, which is difficult (I mean, doesn’t everyone want to get into games?); however, just being part of the team is amazing. Being able to play with the girls every day at practice is an honor and even if I don’t get in all that much in the games, I still really enjoy being able to support and cheer everyone on with the other girls on the team.

I have loved my time spent here at Muhlenberg so far, and I am excited for what the second semester has in store for me personally, and for our team!

Nicole Pepe, Women’s Basketball

My first semester of freshman year was one of the most enjoyable experiences I have ever had. Beginning college was a mixture of many different things; it was exciting, but especially nerve-wracking. I was scared to live away from home, make new friends and play on a brand-new team. 

All my fears quickly faded. The girls on my team quickly became some of my best friends, and I adjusted to the college lifestyle quicker than I thought I would with the help of my teammates. Balancing playing on the team and my schoolwork was definitely hard, but it is all about time management and setting your priorities.

It has been an amazing experience playing on a team with these girls, and I’ve learned more about the game of basketball than I have learned my whole life. Even though I do not play as much as some of the other girls on my team, I am honored to be part of the team.  The team is a family and we want all of our team to be successful more than anything else. 

The bond we all share with each other is something special, and something I am looking forward to see getting stronger as I spend the next four years of my life as part of the Muhlenberg basketball program.

Colleen Touhey, Women’s Soccer

First semester was awesome! In the beginning it was very difficult adjusting to playing soccer while also balancing my schoolwork. The academics and athletics are more demanding then they were in high school, but once you get into a routine, it is totally manageable!

Having a team that is basically your family makes it worth every minute. There is always someone on the team willing to help you out with school, sports, or whatever it is that you are struggling with.

I got a lot more playing time than I expected to get this season. It was hard to jump right from high school soccer into college soccer. College games move at a much faster pace and are more physical. The upperclassmen on the team were great at getting me ready to compete in this new playing environment. Each game made me more and more confident. By the end of the season I didn’t feel like a freshmen stepping out onto the field.

Overall, it has been a great experience!

Plays of the Week

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Both basketball teams returned from finals to pick up wins in their 2011 finales over the weekend. Here are the top plays from thise games.

Female Play of the Week – Kathleen Naddaff plays point guard

Muhlenberg already has four very good point guards, but Kathleen Naddaff looked like she was auditioning for the position early in the second half against Albright. After blocking a shot, the 6-1 starting center grabbed the ball and led the fast break, dribbling down the middle of the court and delivering a perfect bounce pass to Alita Zabrecky on her left for a layup.

The basket gave undefeated Muhlenberg a 48-24 lead en route to an 80-47 win.

Click here to watch video of the play. 

Male Play of the Week – Hunter Forsman’s dunk

Forsman finished with style during a game-turning run in the Mules’ 83-78 win against Drew, converting a pass from Spencer Liddic into an emphatic dunk with 9:35 left in the second half.

The field goal was the second straight for Forsman, who scored on a putback on Muhlenberg’s previous possession. Those were his only two field goals of the game, but they kicked off a 14-0 run that turned a seven-point deficit into a seven-point lead. Forsman had four of his five points and four of his nine rebounds in the run.

Click here to watch video of the dunk. 

Hidden Gems

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For the first seven games of the season, five of the six freshmen on the Muhlenberg women’s basketball team saw only spot duty, watching mostly from the bench as their more experienced teammates drove the Mules to a 7-0 start and a No. 13 ranking in the national poll.

Last night, they got their chance, and did they ever make the most of it.

The five freshmen – Abby Stenger, Laura Gregory, Nicole Pepe, Janelle Fleet and Emily Lesher – combined to outscore Bryn Mawr, totaling 50 points in a 115-43 win that tied the school record for biggest margin of victory. The quintet had scored 31 points total in the first seven games.

(The sixth freshman, Hannah Rush, has seen more playing time but did not dress for last night’s game.)

“We’re all willing to wait our turn,” said Gregory, who scored 12 points and pulled down a team-high seven rebounds in 14 minutes. “We all have so much respect for the upperclassmen. The players ahead of me, Alita Zabrecky and Kim Mui, are the players I want to become.

“We’re still learning. This is a completely different level from high school, especially the way we play. It’s so much more intense, and we’re still experiencing new things.”

Scoring 115 points was a new experience for everyone except the coaching staff, which was around when the Mules ran the Grinnell system and averaged 90.8 points per game in 2003-04. Muhlenberg reached triple digits eight times that season and twice more the following year, but had done so only once since.

And it was a welcome new experience for Stenger, whose James River High School team played in a few games with big scores.

“Usually we were on the other side of that score,” she said. “It was exciting to be on the winning side.”

Muhlenberg led 50-22 at halftime – the third time this season it has scored at least 50 points in the first half. The Mules finished the first two games with 94 and 85, but this time they scored 20 points in the first four minutes of the second half, coming up empty on only one of 10 possessions, to extend their lead to 70-28.

“It was crazy how fast they were scoring!” said Gregory (pictured).

The Mules slowed the scoring pace a little for the next few minutes, but then picked it up again, with 25 points in the last 7:30. The freshmen accounted for 19 of those points, with Stenger pouring in eight of her team-high 20 during that span.

“We all just played really hard, and the baskets came,” said Stenger. “We definitely played our hardest, and that’s why we were able to score as much as we did. Hopefully we’ll be able to do it again this season.”

Whether it happens this season or more in future seasons, it looks like the members of this freshman class will have many more baskets coming their way for Muhlenberg.

Home Away From Home

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Whenever her teammates on the Muhlenberg women’s basketball team make a joke at her expense, junior Alita Zabrecky knows exactly how to get them back.

A native of Center Valley, which just so happens to be the home of one of the Lehigh Valley’s other strong programs, DeSales, Zabrecky just threatens to go home.

“She’ll tell us she’s going to transfer,” sophomore Erin Laney said with a laugh after the Mules’ 66-60 win over the Bulldogs last night. “So I guess it’s a good thing we won, because now we know she’ll stay.”

It’s a good-natured joke, of course. Zabrecky isn’t going anywhere soon, which is good news for the Mules and bad news for future opponents.

An honorable mention all-conference performer last season, Zabrecky has raised her game even more this year, leading the Mules in rebounding and steals, while ranking second in scoring.

It was that well-rounded game that helped her gain attention when she came out of Southern Lehigh High School. But while Zabrecky could have literally walked home whenever she wanted had she chose DeSales, she said she could not imagine going to college a little more than a long 3-pointer away from her house.

But it was more than just location that drew Zabrecky to Muhlenberg. Her mother, Judy, is a Muhlenberg grad, and when Alita visited the school and met her future teammates, she said she knew right away that she would become a Mule.

“DeSales is a great school and they have a great program, but it was a little too close for me,” said Zabrecky, who led the Mules with 16 points and added eight rebounds last night to move to 2-1 in her career against DeSales. “Muhlenberg gave me the opportunity to still be close to home but have some space at the same time. And when I met the team and saw how they played, I knew this was where I wanted to be.

“It’s always pretty neat playing against DeSales. But losing to them in overtime last year felt awful. So it was nice to be able to get them back.”

More than two years after choosing Muhlenberg, it seems to be a match made in heaven. Zabrecky has helped the Mules make two NCAA Tournaments, including advancing to last year’s “Sweet 16.”

This year, she has been an integral part of the Mules’ 7-0 start and No. 13 national ranking. Zabrecky, who ranks third in the conference in scoring, is the only Mule to reach double figures in every game this season.

According to Laney, what makes her such a solid player is her relentless hustle. And after playing against her in practice, she said she is really glad Zabrecky chose Muhlenberg.

“Alita is such a great player,” Laney said. “She goes all out on every play, even in practice. I don’t know how she doesn’t get tired; it’s amazing.

“Some of the things she can do are pretty amazing, and I’m really glad she’s on our team because we don’t have to worry about trying to stop her.”