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Sports News: Winter 2008-09

Monday, February 23, 2009

MORAVIAN TO HOST JUNIATA IN LANDMARK CONFERENCE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS

BETHLEHEM, PA --- The Moravian College women’s basketball team will make its eighth straight appearance in the postseason as the Greyhounds are the second seed in the 2009 Landmark Conference Tournament and will host third seeded Juniata College a semifinal contest on Wednesday, February 25th at 7:00 p.m. in Johnston Hall.

Wednesday’s other semifinal contest will have top-seeded the University of Scranton hosting fourth-seed Susquehanna University at 5:30 p.m.  The winners of Wednesday’s semifinal games will meet on Saturday, February 28th at the highest remaining seed for the 2009 Landmark Conference Championship.

The Greyhounds, who finished the 2008-09 regular season with an overall record of 20-5 and a 10-4 slate in the Landmark Conference regular season, 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 playoffs for the 19th time in her 22 years as head coach.  Spirk, who has an overall record of 408-193, 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 5.1 boards per outing.  Bisci has added 25 assists, 26 steals and nine three-pointers while shooting 90.7 percent (117-for-129) 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 11.8 points per game, and she leads the team on the boards at 5.6 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 82 assists while committing just 61 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 9.1 points per game, and she has an average of 3.3 rebounds per contest.  Foran has also contributed 36 assists, 24 steals and eight three-pointers this winter, and she is shooting 87.4 percent (83-for-95) at the foul line.  Junior forward Kirsty Stearns (East Norwich, NY/Oyster Bay HS) is netting 9.5 points and grabbing 5.4 rebounds per game to go with 27 assists, 21 blocked shots and 16 steals while junior guard Amanda Brown (Schuylkill Haven, PA/Schuylkill Haven HS) is scoring 6.3 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 30 three-pointers to go with 42 assists and 27 steals.

Sophomore guard/forward Amy Heffner (Schnecksville, PA/Parkland HS) is contributing 7.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per contest in her first year with the Greyhounds, and Heffner also has 21 assists, 20 steals and 13 blocked shots while freshman guard Hilary Murray (Clinton, NJ/North Hunterdon HS) is netting 5.8 points per outing with 41 rebounds, 43 assists, 27 steals and 22 three-pointers.  Freshman forward Alexandra Blair (Hellertown, PA/Bethlehem Catholic HS) has averages of 5.6 points and 3.6 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 71 points, 35 rebounds, 21 assists and 25 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.

Juniata, which lost to Moravian, 82-55, in Johnston Hall on January 9th and defeated the Greyhounds, 64-58, in Huntingdon on January 31st during the season, finished the regular season with a 15-10 overall record and a 9-5 slate in Landmark Conference action.  The Eagles, under the direction of sixth-year head coach Danny Young, defeated Susquehanna, 65-58, this past Saturday to clinch the third seed and have won six straight games starting with the win over Moravian on January 31st.