Date Posted:09:41:17 11/13/01 Tue Author: DAve Author Host/IP: net162-243.xu.edu / 205.133.162.243 Subject: Thanks, Matt. I was at both exhibitions and I believe there is something you did not mention. This last team was pretty good with most players from big name players. We probably would have won if they had not had Katie Douglas (Purdue '01, WNBA) scoring 28 points. I think most true blue Xavier fans remember Katie from another game :( It was nice to see OUR Katie outscore her! I like this team; people are just going to have to be patient! In reply to:
Matt Barber
's message, "Kreager breaks out, XU comeback falls short" on 19:38:56 11/10/01 Sat
>Xavier suffered its second loss of the preseason,
>88-85, to the Reebok Lady Stars on Saturday afternoon
>in the Cintas Center, but sophomore forward Kate
>Kreager put on a show, scoring career-highs of 33
>points and 13 rebounds.
>The coaches had been waiting for it, the
>game-performance that would establish Kreager as a top
>post-player.
>“Kate has been phenomenal in every single practice
>this year,” said XU head coach Melanie Balcomb.
>“She’s played so hard, we’ve been waiting for her to
>have a break-out game.”
>Kreager was 12-16 from the floor in the contest, and
>missed on just two of her 11 trips to the free-throw
>line. She scored 24 points in the second half as the
>Musketeers battled back from a 15-point deficit, only
>to fall three point short when a buzzer-beating
>attempt missed the rim to end the second half.
>Xavier looked like it might cruise as it jumped out to
>an 11-0 lead to start the game, but the Lady Stars,
>surprised at first by XU’s speed, played
>sure-and-steady, tying the contest at 27 with 8:28
>remaining in the first half. The teams exchanged
>baskets until the end of the half, when the Lady Stars
>held a 45-42 lead.
>The second half was nearly all Kreager for the
>Musketeers, but the Lady Stars just kept padding their
>lead, pushing the difference to 15 with 6:25 to go in
>the game.
>Junior point-guard Amy Waugh hit a three-pointer, the
>two teams exchanged free throws, then junior guard
>Reetta Piipari hit a three.
>Kreager made a lay up, and, on Xavier’s next
>possession, sophomore forward Aida Sarajlija was
>fouled on a wide-open look inside. She converted on
>both attempts, moving XU within five, 84-79, with less
>than two minutes remaining.
>The Musketeers and Lady Stars both made four free
>throws each, and Waugh hit a short jumper, but
>Piipari’s attempt at a buzzer-beater missed the mark
>in an attempt to send the game into overtime.
>“We know we can come back now,” said Balcomb. “It’s
>good for a team this young to know that.”
>Piipari hit three threes on her way to 11 points and
>six assists, and Waugh distributed eight assists.
>Sarajlija had her second-straight solid game, scoring
>10 points and pulling down five boards in 24 minutes
>of play.
>“Out biggest improvement was our overall effort as a
>team, our chemistry, our communication and offensive
>execution,” said Balcomb. “We showed a lot, that
>we’re a team that won’t quit.”
>Freshman Ashleigh Cuncic scored eight points in 13
>minutes, including a three, playing as a guard. She
>seemed much less nervous than she did in her college
>debut in the first exhibition game.
>The big story was Kreager’s explosive performance.
>“It was good to get ‘the break-out game,’” said
>Kreager who attributed her success in the contest to
>Xavier’s balanced offense that finds the open player.
>“She earned that game,” said Balcomb. “She’s a gamer
>now.”
>The Musketeers have six days to get ready for their
>season opener at Indiana State on Friday, and if they
>show the kind of improvement they made from the first
>exhibition to this contest, they should open with a
>win.
>“We’ve improved a lot,” said Piipari. “We’re going
>the right way. We’re not there yet, but we’ll be
>there.”
