BY GENEVRA PITTMAN

In print | Published December 2, 2004

Now that it’s December and is snowing in some parts of the country, it’s time for Swat athletes to hang up their cleats and head to the comfort of indoors for a great winter pastime: basketball.

With a few new faces, the Garnet women are back on the court and ready for another shot at the Centennial Conference title. After finishing 11-7 in the conference last year and barely missing a spot in the playoffs, Swarthmore aims to improve its outcome this season after losing key contributor Katie Robinson ’04 to graduation but adding a number of talented first-years.

The Garnet women halted its two-game losing skid Tuesday night, when the team traveled to Ursinus for an important conference match-up. The Garnet got off to a quick lead, going up 40-20 at halftime. Despite stumbling early in the second half, Swat was able to finish off the Bears 63-49. Essential to the Tide’s win was a season-high 47.1 shooting percentage.

“We’re getting it going offensively,” Walters said. “Our shots were on [against Ursinus]. We’re playing together as team.”

Tri-captain Kristen Lee ’05 led the scoring drive against the Bears, tying her career high with 18 points. Fifteen of her points came in the first half. Jessica Fuhr ’07 had 10 points for a career high, and Berk, Walters, and tri-captain Alison Wolff ’05 all contributed eight points. Debra Farrelly ’06 had five steals and six assists in her strongest showing of the season.

“I think we had an amazing start,” coach Adrienne Shibles said of the game. “The women were really ready. Lee got us started on the right foot.” In terms of the rest of the season, Shibles said the team is focusing on each game as it comes and concentrating more on playing solid games than on the individual wins and losses.

Last week, the women opened their season on a strong note against Immaculata on Nov. 19, destroying the Macs 76-39 in the first game of the Swat Tip-Off Tournament. Radiance Walters ‘06 powered the team with 11 points and 12 rebounds, and Laura Popovics ’08 led the squad with 13 points in her first game for Swarthmore. The next night, the Garnet fell to Mary Washington 61-52 in the tournament final despite coming out strong early to take a 24-20 lead at halftime. The team struggled with shooting in the match, hitting only 31.7 percent of its field goals. Walters again was the key offensive force for the Tide, recording game highs in points (21) and rebounds (13), numbers good enough to earn her a spot on the All-Tournament team and recognition on the week’s Centennial Conference Honor Roll.

In its first conference game of the season, the Garnet lost a tough match at McDaniel on Nov. 23. Despite out-rebounding the nationally-ranked Green Terror 42-37, Swarthmore once again struggled with hitting field goals and fell 66-49. Karen Berk ’08 led the team with 13 points and 10 rebounds and was rewarded with a place on the Centennial Conference Honor Roll.

Lee, for one, sees a team that is headed in the right direction and has a chance to do big things this season. “We’ve got a lot of potential,” she said. “We work well together.” Though she was the leading scorer in Swarthmore’s win over the Bears, Lee emphasized the contributions made by all the players. “Every night it’s somebody different,” she said. “We’re a very well-rounded team. I think we definitely have a chance to win the conference.”

For now, the Garnet will be concentrating on the annual Seven Sisters Tournament this weekend held at neighboring Bryn Mawr. Swarthmore will open the tournament Friday night at 8 p.m. against St. Josephs. “It’s a long weekend. Everybody has to come ready to play,” Shibles said. But, she said, if all goes well the Garnet could have a trophy to add to the case come Sunday night. “I definitely think we have the talent to win it all.”

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