Midd shots miss the nest vs. Red Hawks

Author: Andrew Donnantuono

After three consecutive wins at the end of 2006, the women's basketball team began 2007 by dropping two of three games and doubling its total losses for the season. The squad returned from the winter break by losing to regional foe Eastern Connecticut at home 62-56, defeating Colby-Sawyer 58-48 and dropping a thrilling Sunday matinee to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Pepin Gymnasium 60-53. The Panthers now boast an 8-4 record.

Sunday's clash with RPI had just about every possible element: comebacks, crucial free throws and a noisy crowd. Although the game developed into a classic, the play was by no means brilliant for the entire game. With a chance to move to .750 on the season, Middlebury could not make anything happen early on against the Red Hawks. RPI's defense stifled the Panthers. In fact, they could only muster three points after ten minutes of play.

RPI's physical nature made it hard for the Panthers to find open looks, and their discomfort showed as awkward lay-ups clanked off the rim and airballs were rebounded by the opposition.

However, as has been the case for much of the season, not once did it seem as though Middlebury was out of the game. Their first half defense was stellar, holding RPI to nine of 29 shooting.

Coach Noreen Pecsok found the remedy, taking a timeout with the Panthers down 23-9. The team responded and closed the half on a 9-0 run. That streak was mainly due to a dominating defense - Middlebury caused five RPI turnovers in a seven-possession span.

The Panthers, however, failed to take advantage of their momentum coming out of the locker room. RPI scored the first five points of the half and regained a double-digit lead at 28-18. Still, Middlebury would not quit on this day. Captain Carlie Harrington '07 capped an inspiring comeback with a three-point play midway through the second half, bringing the score to 38-38.

When it seemed like Middlebury was on the verge of seizing the lead, RPI struck back with an 8-0 run of its own, quickly taking the crowd, which had become increasingly boisterous, out of the game. But Middlebury went on one last spurt, tying the game again, this time at 51-51 with 1:22 remaining.

Yet the Panthers just could not get over the final hump, as a clever inbounds pass under the basket by the Red Hawks (or a lapse in concentration by the Panthers) resulted in two points and, following free throws, a 60-53 loss.

Prior to Sunday's game, as students flocked to campus on Wednesday night for the start of J-Term, the Panthers tipped off their first game of 2007 at home against Eastern Connecticut. As they would do later in the week against RPI, Middlebury came back from a deep hole, 21-11, but could not do enough to win.

Lani Young '09, who scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds, highlighted how well Eastern Connecticut shot "in the second half, and hit shots that took momentum away from us on several occasions."

Young stressed the effect of the hiatus. "It was also our first game after a long break," she said, "and I think that factored into the game, particularly during the second half."

Middlebury quickly had the opportunity to make things right after their 62-56 loss when they traveled to Colby-Sawyer the following day. Compared to their game the night before, Young believes that against the Chargers, the Panthers "were much more patient and willing to move the ball around and make the extra pass that gave everyone, especially our guards, better looks at the basket."

In both games, Aylie Baker '09 helped out in a fairly rare statistic: blocks. Baker hosted a block party against Colby-Sawyer, stuffing seven shots after recording two against Eastern Connecticut. She leads NESCAC players heading into conference play with 25 blocks.

"Aylie's blocks have come at key times, often halting runs by the other team and getting us a much needed defensive stop," said Young.

Although Youn knows that, in the NESCAC, Middlebury will be facing "more difficult teams more often," the Panthers are "planning on taking some big games that we let slip away last season."