Sports News: Spring 2004

Monday, March 1, 2004

MORAVIAN SELECTED TO ECAC SOUTH TOURNAMENT' FOURTH SEEDED GREYHOUNDS TO HOST CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY IN FIRST ROUND GAME ON MARCH 3RD

BETHLEHEM, PA --- The Moravian College women’s basketball team will make its second consecutive appearance in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Southern Basketball Championships as the Greyhounds were selected as the fourth seed and will host fifth seeded Catholic University on Wednesday, March 3rd at 7:00 p.m. in Johnston Hall.

The tournament will continue with the semifinals on Saturday, March 6th and the championship game on Sunday, March 7th at the highest remaining seed. Wednesday’s other first round games will have top seed DeSales University hosting eighth-seed Frostburg State University, second seeded Lebanon Valley College playing seventh-seed Westminster College and third seeded King's College hosting sixth-seed Washington & Jefferson College.

The Greyhounds are 18-9 overall this season and will be making their eighth appearance in the ECAC Tournament. Moravian won the ECAC Championship in 1987 and has a 4-6 all-time record in ECAC games. Moravian lost 67-54 in the semifinal game last year to Swarthmore College. The Greyhounds had the three-game winning streak snapped in the Commonwealth Conference Championship game, letting a 40-25 halftime lead slip away in the final minute of a 71-68 loss to fourth seeded Widener University last Saturday.

Moravian head coach Mary Beth Spirk, who was named the 2003-04 Commonwealth Coach of the Year, has the Greyhounds in the postseason for the 14th time in her 17 years as head coach. Spirk, who has an overall record of 307-152, has guided the Greyhounds to their second year in a row to the ECAC Tournament after participating in the Commonwealth Conference Championship game for the second straight season.

Senior guard Kim Hughes (Manasquan, NJ/St. Rose HS) has led the Greyhounds in scoring this season with an average of 11.8 points per game, but will miss the remainder of the season due to a knee injury. Hughes also leads the squad with 41 three-pointers, and she has added 52 rebounds, 46 assists and 33 steals. Hughes, who is ranked nationally in free throw percentage at 85.0 percent, became the 15th player in Moravian history to score 1,000 points in a career, and she is currently eight with 1,222 points. Hughes is also fourth in school history with 162 career three-pointers. Sophomore forward Stephanie Seaman (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS), who was named to the Commonwealth All-Conference First Team last week, leads the Greyhounds on the boards at 8.0 rebounds per contest, and she is netting 11.1 points per game. Seaman also leads the squad with 58 steals, and she has added 34 assists and 15 blocked shots.

Freshman forward Jenny Hackleman (Solvang, CA/Rutgers Prep {NJ} HS), the 2003-04 Commonwealth Conference Rookie of the Year, is contributing 7.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, and she leads the team with 32 blocked shots to go along with 34 assists and 29 steals. Junior guard Jen Behagg (Hamburg, NJ/Pope John XXIII HS) leads Moravian with 94 assists and is averaging 7.8 points and 4.1 rebounds per contest. Behagg also has 14 three-pointers, 52 steals and 19 blocked shots.

Freshman forward Kelly Applegate (Easton, PA/Wilson HS) is scoring 8.3 points per game and grabbing 4.9 rebounds per contest, to go along with 22 blocked shots, 17 steals, and 11 assists. Freshman guard Rachel Berlin (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom HS) is adding 6.8 points and 2.5 rebounds per game with 15 three-pointers, 35 steals, 23 assists, and eight blocked shots. Freshman guard Katie Rizman (Wall, NJ/St. Rose HS) has an average of 5.5 points per game with 14 three-point field goals, 74 rebounds, 56 assists, 32 steals and nine blocked shots. Sophomore forward Lindsay Brase (Bethlehem, PA/Notre Dame HS) is contributing 5.7 points with 84 rebounds, 20 assists, 21 steals and 11 three-pointers, while senior forward Tracie Shipman (Seaside Park, NJ/Archbishop Ryan HS) has averages of 4.8 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Shipman, who is out for the remainder of the season with an injury, also has 24 steals and 18 assists.

Sophomore guard Nicole Savino (Macungie, PA/Brandywine Heights HS) has contributed 49 points, and she has 40 rebounds, nine assists, and nine steals. Junior guard Marion Berry (Avon, NJ/St. Rose HS) has added 18 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, and five steals. Sophomore forward Heather MacDonald (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley HS) has 27 rebounds and 23 points, while sophomore guard Catherine Golden (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom HS) has two points in limited action this season. Sophomore guard Dianna DeFiore (Hammonton, NJ/St. Joseph HS) has added five points, five rebounds, and five assists. Freshman forward Lindsay Walter (Mechanicsburg, PA/Red Land HS) has contributed 12 points and five rebounds, while junior forward Iva Havlikova (Tabor, Czech Republic) has five rebounds in limited action this season.

DeSales enters the tournament with an overall record of 21-5 and the Bulldogs posted an 11-3 mark in Freedom Conference action. DeSales was knocked out of the Freedom Tournament in the semifinals with a 58-41 loss to King’s. The Bulldogs are making their sixth trip to the ECAC South Championships and won the title in 2002 and 1999.

Lebanon Valley is the only team in addition to Moravian to be playing in the ECAC Tournament for the second straight year. The Flying Dutchmen enter the tournament with an overall record of 20-5 overall record and a 10-4 slate in the Commonwealth Conference. Lebanon, which lost to Moravian, 57-52 in the Commonwealth Semifinals, is playing in the ECAC Tournament for the fourth time.

King’s has posted a 19-8 record this year, and the Monarchs were 9-5 in the Freedom Conference. King’s lost to the University of Scranton, 70-69, in the Freedom Conference Championship game and is playing the ECAC Tournament for the fourth time. The Monarchs won the ECAC South title in 1998.

Catholic is a member of the Capital Athletic Conference, and the Cardinals have posted a 21-6 overall record and were 11-3 in conference action. Catholic, which is making its third appearance in the ECAC South Tournament, was knocked out of the CAC Tournament in the semifinals with an 81-76 loss to York (PA) College.

Washington & Jefferson enters the tournament with an 18-8 overall record, and the Presidents had a 6-4 record in conference action. Washington & Jefferson played in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championship game, falling to Bethany (WV) College, 83-74. Washington & Jefferson won the ECAC South title in the program’s only other appearance back in 1994.

Westminster has posted a 15-10 slate this season, and the Titans were 7-3 in Presidents’ Athletic Conference action. Westminster is making its first appearance in the ECAC South Tournament. The Titans were knocked out of the conference tournament by Washington & Jefferson, 55-53, in the semifinals.

Frostburg State enters the tournament with a 16-11 mark after posting a 6-6 slate in Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference action. The Bobcats fell to Pitt-Greensburg, 66-64 in the semifinals of the AMCC tournament. Frostburg State is making its eighth trip to the ECAC South Tournament, and its first appearance since 1995. The Bobcats won the ECAC South title in 1984, 1986, 1988 and 1990.