Deep into the second half of its game against conference rival Linfield College, the Whitman women’s basketball team saw what had once been an 18-point advantage dwindle to just five. Despite the scare, the Missionaries triumphed 71-63 over Linfield College in Sherwood last Saturday night, Jan. 23. Unfortunately for the Whitman women, the late game let down is a familiar scenario.
The women’s basketball team came into its game on Saturday having lost four games in a row by a combined total of just 12 points, despite having leads late in those games as well.
Fortunately, the Missionaries were able to break that habit Saturday night. Fighting off multiple rallies by the Linfield women down the stretch, the Missionaries managed to close out the game, winning a game that they hope will provide momentum as they approach the second half of their conference schedule.
“We kept up our momentum and didn’t play to not lose, but to win,” said senior forward Michelle Krall, who paced Whitman early with a triumvirate of three-pointers in the first ten minutes of the game, finishing with 11 points.
With the victory, the Whitman women improved to 2-6 in the Northwest Conference and 7-10 overall. The Linfield Wildcats also move to 2-6 in conference and 4-13 on the season.
The Missionaries were led by first team, all-conference senior Hilary White and first-year guard Kelly Peterson, both of whom tallied 16 points and six rebounds.
While White made crucial baskets near the end, it was perhaps the play of the first-year tandem of Peterson and Mary Madden that helped Whitman maintain its intensity and aggressiveness in the face of losing another late lead. The energetic duo combined for 26 points and 12 rebounds, but more importantly, made it to the charity stripe 16 times, constantly drawing fouls and putting pressure on Linfield’s defense in the paint. It was Petersen who stepped up with just under two minutes left in the game to sink a three-pointer that effectively deflated the Wildcats’ final comeback push.
With eight more games left on the schedule and a depleted roster, the play of the younger members of the team will be crucial to whether or not the Missionaries will be able to build upon this victory and finish the season strong.
The losses of juniors Anna Forge and Jenele Petersen prior to the opening of the conference schedule was a devastating blow to a team with high expectations, but that hasn’t prevented them from competing night in and night out or, perhaps more importantly, believing in themselves.
“We have had to change the way we play and we do not have the depth other teams do with only 10 players . . . But I am proud of the way this team has competed. We were on the road a lot in the first round and have had a chance to win almost every time out, losing by three or less four out of five games. If we can keep improving we have a chance to do well in the second round of [the conference],” said Head Coach Michelle Ferenz.
With conference foes Lewis and Clark College and Willamette University coming into town this weekend, it is an opportune time to build some momentum for the rest of the season. They are not automatic wins by any means, but if the intensity and grittiness that were on display in the George Ball Court on Saturday night is any indication of things to come, the Missionaries are in good shape.
