Sports News: Winter 2006-07
Monday, February 19, 2007

MORAVIAN TRAVELS TO ALBRIGHT IN COMMONWEALTH CONFERENCE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS

BETHLEHEM, PA --- The Moravian College women’s basketball team will make its sixth straight appearance in the Commonwealth Conference playoffs, and the Greyhounds are the third seed, traveling to second-seeded Albright College a semifinal contest on Wednesday, February 21st at 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday’s other semifinal contest will have top-seeded Messiah College hosting fourth-seed Susquehanna University at 6:00 p.m. The winners of Wednesday’s semifinal games will meet on Saturday, February 24th for the Commonwealth Conference championship, and the winner of that game will receive the conference’s automatic bid to the 2007 NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.

The Greyhounds, who finished the 2006-07 regular season with an overall record of 15-10 and a 9-5 slate in the Commonwealth Conference, have competed in the championship game the last four years, losing to Messiah in Grantham, 75-52 last season, falling to Messiah in Bethlehem, 57-51, two years ago, losing to Widener in Johnston Hall, 71-68, in 2003-04 and falling at Messiah, 73-52, in 2002-03.

Moravian head coach Mary Beth Spirk has the Greyhounds in the playoffs for the 17th time in her 20 years as head coach. Spirk, who has an overall record of 368-179, has the Greyhounds looking for the program’s first conference title since 1991-92.

Senior forward Kelly Applegate (Easton, PA/Wilson HS) leads the Greyhounds in scoring with an average of 14.6 points per contest, and she is second at 6.4 rebounds per game. Applegate, who has moved into sixth all-time in points with 1,441 points and seventh all-time in rebounds with 658 rebounds for her career, also has 40 steals, 40 assists and six blocked shots while shooting 83.9 percent (120-143) at the foul line, currently ranked 41st in the nation. Applegate has broken the school record for free throws attempted with 583 and free throws made with 450.

Senior forward Jenny Hackleman (Arroyo Grande, CA/Rutgers Prep {NJ} HS), who was named to the All-Tournament Team at the Starters Moravian Winter Classic, is averaging 11.9 points and a team leading average of 8.8 rebounds per contest despite missing the first five games of the year with an injury. Hackleman has moved into fourth in school history in career rebounds with a total of 760, and she is 14th in scoring with 1,104 points. Hackleman has also contributed 46 steals, a team high 26 blocked shots and 52 assists since returning to the lineup.

Freshman guard Jessica Foran (Annandale, NJ/Rutgers Prep HS) is scoring 8.6 points per game in her debut season, and Foran has added 85 rebounds, 44 steals, 36 assists and seven three-pointers, and she is shooting 84.5 percent (71-84), currently tied for 30th in the nation, at the foul line. Both Applegate and Foran were named to the All-Tournament Team at the Mike Durgala Memorial Tournament at Johns Hopkins University to open the 2006-07 season.

Freshman forward Kirsty Stearns (East Norwich, NY/Oyster Bay HS) is averaging 9.0 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, and she has 12 blocked shots to go along with 22 steals and 18 assists. Freshman guard Kate Harrison (Cold Spring Harbor, NY/Cold Spring Harbor HS) has 43 steals this season, and she has added 82 rebounds, 39 assists, six blocked shots and an average of 7.6 points per contest while freshman guard Amanda Brown (Schuylkill Haven, PA/Schuylkill Haven HS) has team highs of 38 three-pointers and 57 assists to go with 30 rebounds, 23 steals and an average of 6.6 points per game.

Freshman forward Alyssa Bisci (Easton, PA/Easton HS) is scoring 3.8 points per game and has added 67 rebounds, 16 assists and 11 steals while sophomore forward Cody Fedorishen (Nazareth, PA/Allentown Central Catholic HS) has contributed 62 points, 58 rebounds, 14 assists, nine steals and five blocked shots for the Greyhounds. Senior guard Katie Rizman (Wall, NJ/St. Rose HS) has added 63 points, 32 rebounds, 20 assists, 13 steals and eight three-pointers while junior guard La'Toya Blake (Allentown, PA/Dieruff HS) has netted 61 points while contributing a team high 65 steals to go with 35 assists and 43 rebounds.

Sophomore forward Rachelle Elneus (Easton, PA/Notre Dame HS) has 23 points, 11 rebounds and five steals while junior guard Megan Kocon (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty HS) has 15 points, 12 rebounds and six assists. Senior guard Kristina Adams (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery HS) has 11 points, four rebounds and five steals while junior guard Tina Moll (Kintnersville, PA/Palisades HS) has added seven points and four rebounds. Freshman guard Alexis DiFazio (East Hanover, NJ/Hanover Park HS) has contributed eight points and three rebounds in limited action.

Albright, which defeated Moravian 72-57 in Reading and 61-60 in Johnston Hall during the season, finished the regular season with a 17-8 overall record and a 10-4 slate in Commonwealth Conference action. The Lions, under the direction of fifth-year head coach Janice Luck, have lost three of their last five games after a nine-game winning streak that included both wins over the Greyhounds.

Sophomore guard Annie McMahon leads Albright in scoring with an average of 12.4 points per game, and she is grabbing 4.4 rebounds per contest. McMahon also leads the Lions with 44 steals and 34 three-pointers to go with 33 assists and 25 blocked shots. Senior forward Jaqueline Hardwick has a team high average of 7.7 rebounds per game to go with a scoring average of 10.6 points per outing. Hardwick has added 26 assists, 17 steals and ten blocked shots.

Senior guard Marie Levins is contributing 8.3 points per game with 69 rebounds, 78 assists, 34 steals and 13 three-pointers while senior guard Natalie Bizzaro has an average of 6.2 points per game to go with a team high 79 assists, 72 rebounds, 32 steals and 11 blocked shots. Junior center Staci Waligorski is netting 6.1 points and grabbing 5.2 rebounds per contest with 13 assists, eight blocked shots and six steals while freshman guard/forward Mallory Olsheski has an average of 5.0 points per game to go with 68 rebounds, 16 assists, 16 three-pointers, 11 steals and ten blocked shots.

Sophomore guard Charlotte Ciccone is scoring 4.8 points per contest for the Lions with 93 rebounds, 50 assists and 38 steals while sophomore forward Jen DuPrau in contributing 5.4 rebounds per game with 88 points, 18 rebounds and nine steals. Junior center Meredith Berger has blocked a team high 31 shots for Albright with an average of 5.0 rebounds per contest to go with 72 points, six steals and four assists.