Thursday, February 26, 2009

MORAVIAN TO TRAVEL TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SCRANTON IN LANDMARK CONFERENCE
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

BETHLEHEM, PA --- The Moravian College women’s basketball team is making is sixth appearance in a conference championship game in the last seven years as the second seeded Greyhounds will travel to top seed The University of Scranton for the 2009 Landmark Conference Championship game on Saturday, February 28th at 5:00 p.m. in the Long Center.

Moravian, which is in the postseason for the eighth straight year, advanced to the title game with a 66-57 win over third seeded Juniata College in a semifinal game Wednesday evening while Scranton defeated fourth seeded Susquehanna University, 60-51.  The Landmark Conference does not have an automatic berth to the 2009 NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament; however, the Greyhounds and the Royals are the top two Pool B teams in the nation and three teams from Pool B will make the NCAA field of 63.

The Greyhounds, who finished the 2008-09 regular season with a 10-4 slate in Landmark Conference action, are 21-5 overall and have won 20 games for the second time in four years and the 14th time in the last 25 seasons.  Moravian head coach Mary Beth Spirk has the Greyhounds in the postseason for the 19th time in her 22 years as head coach.  Spirk, who has an overall record of 409-193, has the Greyhounds looking for the program’s first conference title since 1991-92.

Junior forward Alyssa Bisci (Easton, PA/Easton HS), who was named the MVP of the 8th Annual Starters Moravian Winter Classic, leads Moravian in scoring at 11.8 points per contest to go with a rebounding average of 5.0 boards per outing.  Bisci has added 28 assists, 29 steals and ten three-pointers while shooting 91.0 percent (121-for-133) at the foul line.  Bisci had a streak of 50 straight made free throws earlier this season. 

Junior guard/forward Kate Harrison (Cold Spring Harbor, NY/Cold Spring Harbor HS) is also scoring in double figures at 10.9 points per game, and she is adding 5.5 rebounds per contest.  Harrison, who was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Chuck Resler Tournament hosted by Rochester, also has a team high 88 assists while committing just 65 turnovers.  She has also contributed a team high 35 steals and 21 blocked shots. 

Junior guard Jessica Foran (Annandale, NJ/Rutgers Prep HS) is netting 9.4 points per game, and she has an average of 3.3 rebounds per contest.  Foran has also contributed 37 assists, 26 steals and ten three-pointers this winter, and she is shooting 86.9 percent (86-for-99) at the foul line.  Junior forward Kirsty Stearns (East Norwich, NY/Oyster Bay HS) is netting 9.5 points and grabbing a team high 5.6 rebounds per game to go with 27 assists, 23 blocked shots and 18 steals while junior guard Amanda Brown (Schuylkill Haven, PA/Schuylkill Haven HS) is scoring 6.2 points per outing.  Stearns earned a spot on the Starters Moravian Winter Classic All-Tournament Team while Brown, who was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Chuck Resler Invitational, has made a team high 21 three-pointers to go with 45 assists and 30 steals.

Sophomore guard/forward Amy Heffner (Schnecksville, PA/Parkland HS) is contributing 7.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per contest in her first year with the Greyhounds, and Heffner also has 21 assists, 21 steals and 13 blocked shots while freshman guard Hilary Murray (Clinton, NJ/North Hunterdon HS) is netting 5.7 points per outing with 44 rebounds, 45 assists, 20 steals and 22 three-pointers.  Freshman forward Alexandra Blair (Hellertown, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) has averages of 5.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game in her debut season, and she leads Moravian with 33 blocked shots to go with ten steals and eight assists.

Junior forward Alyson Steltz (Emmaus, PA/Emmaus HS) has 53 points, 30 rebounds, 16 steals and 22 assists in her first season at Moravian while sophomore guard/forward Emily Smith (East Stroudsburg, PA/East Stroudsburg South HS) returned to the squad on January 2nd and has 73 points, 37 rebounds, 21 assists and 26 steals.  Junior forward Lauren Fornazor (River Vale, NJ/Pascack Valley HS) has contributed 45 rebounds, 41 points, 13 assists and 12 steals while freshman guard Cassandra Phillips (Orwigsburg, PA/Nativity BVM HS) has 25 points, seven rebounds, eight assists and five steals. 

Freshman guard Lara Canders (Concord, CA/Ygnacio Valley HS) has added 20 points, three rebounds, four assists and a pair of steals while sophomore forward Amie Ballo (Andes, NY/Andes Central HS) has 14 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots on the year.  Sophomore guard Jennie Miller (Lewisburg, PA/Lewisburg HS), who is out with an injury, has two rebounds and an assist in limited action.

The Royals are led by head coach Mike Strong (709-145) who has completed a 22-4 overall record and a 13-1 Landmark Conference record this season. Strong is in his 29th season with the Royals and this season he became only the second coach in Division III women’s basketball with 700 career victories. Every NCAA Championship Tournament appearance Scranton has ever made was under the direction of Strong.  Scranton has won 30 conference championships, and has made 22 NCAA tournament appearances including seven final four appearances and winning the national championship in 1985.

Leading the Royals on the court this season is sophomore guard Megan Kopecki. Kopecki averages 17.1 points per game to go along with 75 steals, 97 assists and 111 rebounds. Senior center Molly Klusek is averaging 7.7 points per game with 15 steals, 26 assists, 46 blocks and a team leading 162 rebounds. Senior forward Kelly Tratthen puts up 7.5 points per game with 32 steals, 11 assists and 160 rebounds so far this season.

Sophomore guard Jennifer King has posted 182 points, 16 steals, 10 blocks, 21 assists and 49 rebounds while sophomore forward Courtney Roselle has netted 152 points, 25 steals, 32 assists and 107 rebounds. Junior guard Ryan Mooney has 149 points, 46 steals, 11 blocks, 118 rebounds and a team leading 126 assists while sophomore guard Colleen McLane has contributed 108 points to go along with 36 steals and 36 rebounds.

Freshmen forward Sarah Gage has knocked down 88 points, 10 steals, and 72 rebounds while freshmen guard Sidney Jaques has put up 49 points, seven steals, 12 assists and 17 rebounds. Freshmen forward Kelly Carman has 47 points, three steals and 46 rebounds while sophomore forward Brittany Bontemps has contributed 46 points, seven steals, ten assists and 25 rebounds. Freshmen forward Emily Rainey has recorded 43 points nine steals and 24 rebounds while sophomore forward Anne Kelly-Kemple has posted six points, two steals and 14 rebounds in limited action this season.