Spring Break
W. basketball dazzles the Garnet, 78-45
Issue date: 12/6/07
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Coming off a three-game losing streak for the first time since the 2000-2001 season, the women's basketball team needed a win in the worst way on Saturday at Goldfarb Gymnasium.
The visiting Swarthmore Garnet (2-3, 1-1) felt the desperation that only a losing skid of such large proportions can create as Hopkins's suffocating defense stymied the Garnet offense early and strong play by the Jays down low propelled them to an important 78-45 conference win.
Hopkins's game plan was clear from the opening tip: Find Karen Berk. The senior forward is fifth all-time on Swarthmore's career scoring leaders list and came into the game averaging 19.3 points. She needed to be neutralized in order to ensure a win.
Hopkins started a taller lineup to handle Berk, going with three forwards and two guards instead of their normal three guards and two forwards.
"I think we were very ready to come out differently as a team," junior guard/forward Sarah DePaolo said.
"We needed to come out a little more active than we had been and hassle their guards, not let them get any second chances or rebounds. Our main goal, though, was to keep it out of [Berk's] hands."
Hopkins scored first on a jumper by senior forward Andrea Dodrill but the Garnet took the lead three minutes in, going up 3-2. Fifteen seconds after taking the lead, however, junior guard Jonay Foster nailed a three-pointer to put the Jays back on top.
The Garnet would never lead again. Berk did not even score her first basket until over 10 minutes had elapsed in the first half and Hopkins had jumped out to a 10-point lead.
"We knew they had a couple kids but we were concerned about [Berk] from the very beginning," said head coach Nancy Funk, now in her 22nd season with the Jays.
"I thought we did a really good job on her."
Hopkins continued to build on its lead heading into halftime and went into the break up 41-22 and dominating.
Even though the Jays were up big, however, coach Funk warned the team to come out in the second half as if it were a new game.
The visiting Swarthmore Garnet (2-3, 1-1) felt the desperation that only a losing skid of such large proportions can create as Hopkins's suffocating defense stymied the Garnet offense early and strong play by the Jays down low propelled them to an important 78-45 conference win.
Hopkins's game plan was clear from the opening tip: Find Karen Berk. The senior forward is fifth all-time on Swarthmore's career scoring leaders list and came into the game averaging 19.3 points. She needed to be neutralized in order to ensure a win.
Hopkins started a taller lineup to handle Berk, going with three forwards and two guards instead of their normal three guards and two forwards.
"I think we were very ready to come out differently as a team," junior guard/forward Sarah DePaolo said.
"We needed to come out a little more active than we had been and hassle their guards, not let them get any second chances or rebounds. Our main goal, though, was to keep it out of [Berk's] hands."
Hopkins scored first on a jumper by senior forward Andrea Dodrill but the Garnet took the lead three minutes in, going up 3-2. Fifteen seconds after taking the lead, however, junior guard Jonay Foster nailed a three-pointer to put the Jays back on top.
The Garnet would never lead again. Berk did not even score her first basket until over 10 minutes had elapsed in the first half and Hopkins had jumped out to a 10-point lead.
"We knew they had a couple kids but we were concerned about [Berk] from the very beginning," said head coach Nancy Funk, now in her 22nd season with the Jays.
"I thought we did a really good job on her."
Hopkins continued to build on its lead heading into halftime and went into the break up 41-22 and dominating.
Even though the Jays were up big, however, coach Funk warned the team to come out in the second half as if it were a new game.
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