Sports News: Winter 2004-05

Monday, February 21, 2005

MORAVIAN HOSTS WIDENER IN COMMONWEALTH SEMIFINALS

BETHLEHEM, PA --- The Moravian College women’s basketball team will make its fourth straight appearance in the Commonwealth Conference playoffs, and the Greyhounds are the top seed, hosting fourth-seeded Widener University a semifinal contest on Wednesday, February 23rd at 7:00 p.m. in Johnston Hall.

Wednesday’s other semifinal contest will have second-seeded Messiah College hosting third-seed Lebanon Valley College at 7:30 p.m. The winners of Wednesday’s semifinal games will meet on Saturday, February 26th for the Commonwealth Conference championship, and the winner of that game will receive the conference’s automatic bid to the 2005 NCAA Division III Tournament.

The Greyhounds, who finished the 2004-05 regular season with an overall record of 21-4 and a 12-2 slate in the Commonwealth Conference, have competed in the championship the last two year, falling to Widener in Johnston Hall, 71-68 a year ago and losing at Messiah, 73-52, in 2002-03. Moravian finished in a tie for first place with Messiah during the regular season but the Greyhounds earned the higher seed on the seventh tiebreaker, point differential. Both teams won on their home court during the regular season with Moravian earning a 71-64 victory in Bethlehem on February 12th and the Falcons winning 74-67 in Grantham on February 17th giving the Greyhounds a +1 and the top seed.

Moravian head coach Mary Beth Spirk has the Greyhounds in the playoffs for the 15th time in her 18 years as head coach. Spirk, who has an overall record of 329-157, has guided the Greyhounds to their ten 20-win in her 18 years, and the squad is looking for the program’s first conference title since 1991-92.

Junior forward Stephanie Seaman (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) leads the Greyhounds in scoring with an average of 14.1 points per game. Seaman, who was named the Most Valuable Player at both the 4th Annual Starters Moravian Winter Classic and the Catholic Tip-Off Tournament, is also leading the team with 7.8 rebounds per game to go with 48 assists, 36 steals, ten three-pointers and 17 blocked shots. Seaman was also named the Women's DIII News January Player of the Month.

Sophomore forward Jenny Hackleman (Solvang, CA/Rutgers Prep {NJ} HS) has an average of 7.1 rebounds per game, and she is netting 11.7 points per contest. Hackleman, who was also named to the Starters Moravian Winter Classic All-Tournament Team, also has a team high 39 blocked shots to go with 41 assists and 24 steals. Hackleman is shooting 51.8 percent from the floor. Sophomore forward Kelly Applegate (Easton, PA/Wilson HS) is averaging 9.7 points per contest to go with 112 rebounds, 11 blocked shots, 154 assists and 13 steals. Applegate is making 53.5 percent of her field goal attempts, and Applegate, Seaman and Hackleman are all shooting over 75 percent at the foul line this season.

Sophomore guard Katie Rizman (Wall, NJ/St. Rose HS) is netting 8.8 points per contest and has 39 steals. Rizman also has 70 assists, 76 rebounds, 15 blocked shots and a team high 32 three-pointers. Sophomore guard Rachel Berlin (Bethlehem, PA/Freedom HS) is netting 7.4 points per game with 52rebounds, 14 assists, 12 three-pointers and 24 steals.

Senior guard Jen Behagg (Hamburg, NJ/Pope John XXIII HS) leads Moravian with 127 assists and 49 steals while committing just 86 turnovers this season, and she has an average of 6.1 points per game. Behagg, who is second all-time at Moravian with 362 career assists, has also contributed 103 rebounds and 13 three-pointers for the Greyhounds while playing a team high 29.9 minutes per game. Junior guard Nicole Savino (Macungie, PA/Brandywine Heights HS) is netting 6.1 points per game to go along with 64 rebounds, 21 steals, 14 assists and 14 three-pointers. Freshman guard Sara Steinman (Springfield, NJ/Jonathon Dayton HS) is netting 3.2 points per contest with 16 three-pointers, 19 rebounds, 30 assists and 13 steals in her debut season. Behagg and Steinman each have more assists than turnovers this season.

Junior forward Heather MacDonald (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley HS) has added 41 rebounds, 50 points, eight assists, six blocked shots and seven steals so far this season while junior guard Lindsay Brase (Bethlehem, PA/Notre Dame HS) has 54 points, 34 rebounds, 13 assists, ten steals and four three-pointers. Junior guard Dianna DeFiore (Hammonton, NJ/St. Joseph HS) has 58 points, 18 assists, nine steals and 20 rebounds this season while freshman guard LaToya Blake (Allentown, PA/Dieruff HS) has contributed 39 rebounds, 13 steals, 18 points and eight assists in limited action this winter.

Widener, which lost in its last trip to Johnston Hall, 68-63, in December, finished the regular season with a 15-10 overall record and an 8-6 slate in Commonwealth Conference action. The Pioneers, under the direction of second-year coach Alisa DiBonaventura, did defeat Moravian in Chester, 78-70 on February 2nd. In last season’s Commonwealth Championship game in Bethlehem, Widener rallied from a 40-25 halftime deficit for the win.

Junior guard/forward Chelsea Luhta leads the Pioneers in scoring and rebounding with averages of 19.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Luhta has also added 51 assists, 42 steals, eight blocked shots and eight three-pointers. Senior guard Nicole Stanley has an average of 13.3 points per contest, and Stanley is also contributing 4.1 rebounds per outing to go with team highs of 93 assists and 78 steals. Stanley has also connected on 26 three-pointers.

Freshman forward Dominique Kidd is adding 9.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game with 47 steals and 34 assists for Widener while junior forward/center Celeste Baumgardner has averages of 8.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest. Baumgardner leads the Pioneers with 14 blocked shots to go with 25 assists and 19 steals. Sophomore guard Kelli Murphy has made a team high 38 three-pointers while adding 7.3 points per game. Murphy also has 47 rebounds, 31 assists and 24 steals this season.

Junior guard Linette Babiarz has contributed 113 points, 104 rebounds, 93 assists, 59 steals and ten three-pointers this season while sophomore forward/center Shanasis Hilliard has 105 points, 96 rebounds, 11 blocked shots and nine steals. Freshman forward/center Janae Ostroswski has contributed 28 points, 34 rebounds and 14 blocked shots this season for Widener while freshman guard Brittany Williams has added 32 points and 26 rebounds.