2008 Woodie Awards
Bobcats defeated in WNIT debut
Dave Westerberg
Issue date: 3/26/08 Section: Sports
Wednesday was a day of firsts for the Quinnipiac University women's basketball team.
It was the first time the team would be playing in post-season game since the team made the leap to Division I athletics and it would be the first time the Bobcats faced Iona in the history of the program. Unfortunately, Wednesday would also mark the last game of the Bobcats' season.
Quinnipiac (25-6) had their record-setting season ended last Wednesday as the Iona Gaels (20-13) stormed past the Bobcats 71-59 in a first round Women's NIT match-up at the TD Banknorth Center.
With the win, the Gaels advanced to the tournaments second round for the second season in a row where they will travel to face St. John's. In the loss the Bobcats end their season, one that saw the Bobcats post their best record in team history, win a share of the regular season NEC title and earn a top-seed in the NEC tournament.
Quinnipiac never held a lead during a game where only nine Bobcats dressed due to injuries to key team members. Backcourt stalwarts Monique Lee and Courtney Kaminski, the team's third and fourth leader scorers respectively, were inactive for the post-season game. The 6'1 Lee and 6'3 Kaminski were sorely missed as the Bobcats were out-rebounded by the Gaels by a margin of 47-31.
"I would have loved to be healthy for once going down the stretch of the season and then see what we could do but I thought we still competed," Bobcat head coach Tricia Fabrri said.
QU was paced by junior guard Mandy Pennewell's team-high 15 points and a gutsy performance by Erin Kerner, who battled through leg cramps to score 13 in the losing effort.
But the Bobcats best were no match for Gaels. Iona's Anna McClean led all players with 24 points and 18 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass. The Gael's also got 12 points from freshman forward Catherine Lutz who scored all of her points off three pointers. Lutz hit four straight threes late in the first half.
It was the first time the team would be playing in post-season game since the team made the leap to Division I athletics and it would be the first time the Bobcats faced Iona in the history of the program. Unfortunately, Wednesday would also mark the last game of the Bobcats' season.
Quinnipiac (25-6) had their record-setting season ended last Wednesday as the Iona Gaels (20-13) stormed past the Bobcats 71-59 in a first round Women's NIT match-up at the TD Banknorth Center.
With the win, the Gaels advanced to the tournaments second round for the second season in a row where they will travel to face St. John's. In the loss the Bobcats end their season, one that saw the Bobcats post their best record in team history, win a share of the regular season NEC title and earn a top-seed in the NEC tournament.
Quinnipiac never held a lead during a game where only nine Bobcats dressed due to injuries to key team members. Backcourt stalwarts Monique Lee and Courtney Kaminski, the team's third and fourth leader scorers respectively, were inactive for the post-season game. The 6'1 Lee and 6'3 Kaminski were sorely missed as the Bobcats were out-rebounded by the Gaels by a margin of 47-31.
"I would have loved to be healthy for once going down the stretch of the season and then see what we could do but I thought we still competed," Bobcat head coach Tricia Fabrri said.
QU was paced by junior guard Mandy Pennewell's team-high 15 points and a gutsy performance by Erin Kerner, who battled through leg cramps to score 13 in the losing effort.
But the Bobcats best were no match for Gaels. Iona's Anna McClean led all players with 24 points and 18 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass. The Gael's also got 12 points from freshman forward Catherine Lutz who scored all of her points off three pointers. Lutz hit four straight threes late in the first half.
Be the first to comment on this story