Women's Basketball Battens Down Defensive Hatches

Author: Emily Berlanstein

The women's basketball team recently secured the seventh seed in the NESCAC, earning them a tournament berth. They will travel to Connecticut to play second-seeded Wesleyan in the Quarterfinals, with hopes of revenging a recent 54-50 loss.
Early last week, Middlebury trounced Southern Vermont, 64-32. Alexis Batten '04 lead scorers with 16 points and nine rebounds. The Panthers were strong on the boards, outrebounding their opponents 44-31. Co-Captain Wesley Hyatt '03 and first- year Michaela McVary were also key factors in the offense, contributing 9 points and 8 points, respectively. In typical Panther fashion, the tenacious defense held Southern Vermont to 13 second half points.
Once again facing NESCAC competition, the Panthers traveled to Boston to take on the Tufts University Jumbos. In the first half, Tufts lead by as many as 14 points, but the Panthers cut the lead to 10 at halftime (35-25). Batten had a strong first half, posting 10 points and six rebounds.
Early in the second half, Middlebury cut the Jumbos' lead to four on a lay-up from Batten. Tufts answered with a pair of three-pointers that sparked an offensive run, but Hyatt brought the score within six in the final minutes of the game. Unfortunately, the Panthers were unable to capitalize on this comeback and Tufts was able to emerge with the 69-58 victory.
A balanced attack stepped up to fill the shoes of leading scorer Kristin Hanley '03, who was out for the week. Hyatt led the Panthers with 21 points, and Batten finished with a double-double (14 points and 12 rebounds). Alexis Hollinger '05 also added 11 points and 5 rebounds.
Last Saturday the Panthers traveled to Lewiston, Maine to compete in their final regular season NESCAC game against Bates. In the first half, Bates led by as many as seven points before the Panthers scored six straight, capped by a lay-up from Elyse Carlson '05. Trailing by three at halftime, Middlebury jumpstarted an impressive comeback to take the lead when Christina Marshall-Parr '06 sank a ten-foot jump shot in the first several minutes of the half. The lead continued to change hands until a pair of free throws from Batten put the Panthers up by three. However, Bates answered with several consecutive baskets to win by nine, 77-68.
Tufts is seeded sixth in the tournament and will travel North to face Bates in the NESCAC quarterfinal matchup. If the Panthers are able to beat Wesleyan, they will gain the opportunity to settle the score with either team in the semifinals.