The Collegian

Issue date: 2/26/09 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Photo courtesy of Brad Monastiere Senior Katie Eckinger and a Northern Michigan University player wrestle for the ball in a game where the Chargers lost by one point. It was their third loss of the season.

The women's basketball team suffered their third loss out of 20 regular season games last Thursday, loosing to Northern Michigan University by one point, 69-68.

"We were devastated because we didn't play well [on Thursday]," senior Katie Cezat said. "We just regrouped and looked at what we needed to change for Saturday."

Two days later, they beat Michigan Technological University 98-91 with a great display of second-half power.

Headed into last week's games, the Chargers tied Michigan Tech for first place in the GLIAC.

Head coach Claudette Charney said the Michigan Tech's game was the Charger best-executed offensive game of the season.

After the two games, the Chargers find themselves in the same position, now with a record of 22-3 overall, 17-3 in the GLIAC - and tied for first in the GLIAC.

The Chargers lead the GLIAC South Division and Michigan Tech heads up the North.

The Chargers take on Tiffin University tonight and Ashland University Saturday.

Charney said the two games this week will be challenging.

"We've got to win both," she said. "I hope now we understand we have to play with a lot of effort."

Charney said the loss to Northern Michigan was a learning experience for the Chargers, but it shouldn't take a loss to educate the team. She said she thinks the loss showed Chargers they need to work harder for every win.

"You're either going to defend or you're going to fall," she said.

Third-ranked Ashland recently defeated second-ranked Northwood University, making Saturday's game interesting, Cezat said.

The Charger's last game against Northwood went into overtime, and Ashland's upset of such a strong team should present a challenging game.

"It's going to be a good game," she said. "We should be able to win."

The loss against Michigan Tech came after a series of events that by all percentages should have worked out differently.

With seven seconds left in the game and the Chargers up 68-65. The Chargers fouled Northern player Steffani Stoeger, who shot one plus a bonus, making the first and purposely missing the second, a strategy not often used in play. Stoeger purposely missed the bonus shot intended for one of Northern's players to rebound the ball. If she shot and made it, it would have been Hillsdale's possession. The strategy is risky because it depends on a player getting the rebound.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools