Women's Basketball Captures Wellesley Tournament Crown

Author: Emily Berlanstein

Before facing New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) competition this weekend, the women's basketball team has been gauging its abilities against non-conference opponents, and the results are gratifying. Coming off two wins in the Wellesley tournament, the Panthers crushed opponent St. Joseph's of Vermont and showed a valiant effort in a recent game against Clarkson, which ended in a disappointing three-point loss.
At Wellesley, the Panthers opened their season with a nail-biting 66-64 overtime win against Augustana College Senior Captain Kristin Hanley led Middlebury with a game-high 23 points. She also contributed six rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals. It was Hanley's offensive rebound and put back that won the game for the Panthers at the end of a low scoring overtime. Wesley Hyatt '03 was outstanding as well, with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
A complete team effort allowed the Panthers to plow over Wellesley in the championship game, 62-53. Scoring was led by Alexis Batten '04, who contributed 16 points in addition to her eight rebounds. Batten was an impressive 4-6 from the floor and 8-10 from the free throw line. Katie Shutte '03 added 12 points and Alexis Hollinger '05 was powerful in the post with nine points and nine rebounds.
The Panthers came out on fire in the second half, outscoring Wellesley 37-27. Overall, rebounding was an important factor in the win, as the Panthers out-muscled Wellesley and dominated the boards, 50-29.
"The Wellesley Tournament was a time for us to find ourselves as a team. Our leadership was shown when were able to finish the game when it was needed," said Hollinger.
Post-tournament, the experienced Panther squad was feeling confident and eager to face local competition on its home court. The Middlebury women put on a show for those few die-hard fans that had not yet departed for Thanksgiving vacation, crushing St. Joseph's 70-26. The first half was competitive, with the Panthers leading 26-16. In the second half, however, the Panthers upped the tempo and took control of the game, increasing the point spread to 44 and holding St. Joseph's to a humble 20 percent shooting average.
Middlebury, on the other hand, shot 59 percent from the field. Hanley led the Panthers with 21 points and nine rebounds in only 25 minutes of play. Batten was also significant with seven points and eight rebounds. Hyatt and Elyse Carlson '05 each added six. The St. Joseph's game was a complete team victory, since it provided an opportunity for the first-year players and reserves to contribute, with nearly every player on the roster scoring.
On Sunday, the Panthers traveled to Potsdam, N.Y., to face Clarkson. A close game throughout, the Panthers led 29-24 at halftime, only to fall, 53-50. Although a tenacious defensive effort held Clarkson to 28 percent shooting, Middlebury capitalized on only seven of 32 shots in the second half. The loss came in spite of a strong game from Hollinger, with 16 points, and Hanley, with 15.
With these four contests behind them, the Panthers hope to eliminate mistakes and emphasize positives as they face Castleton State and Williams this week.