Surprise win keeps playoff drive alive

Posted on 25. Feb, 2009 by Archivist in Sports

Forward Trisha Taylor makes a shot versus Loyalist last Saturday.
photo by alex brien

With its season on the line, the Hawk women’s basketball team pulled off a 64-54 playoff qualifying win at home over Loyalist College last Saturday.

“I thought we competed well and did a good job of containing them considering we started five rookies and our rookies played most of the game,” said head coach Denise Perrier. “We got the W (win), but to be expected, our girls were very nervous since it was our first playoff game.”

The Hawks next play the undefeated Seneca Sting in Saturday’s quarter-finals of the Ontario Colleges Athletics Association championships at Seneca.

Against Loyalist, Humber took an early lead and held off Belleville for the rest of the game.

“I think we did what we had to do, in practice we worked on defending the zone and I think we executed well,” said Hawks guard Maria Suriani, as she iced her left knee after the game.

“They were really physical – the whole game – one girl was slapping me around from start to finish, but we pushed through it and obviously we did well,” she said.

Suriani who had a team-leading 13 points, including going three of seven from the three-point line.

Perrier said it won’t get any easier in the semifinals.

“Seneca is a very good team,” she said. “They full-court press and play great man-to-man coverage.”

Veteran guard Meghan McPeak, troubled with a lingering ankle injury and one loss away from playing her last game in a Hawks uniform, said matching Seneca’s defensive intensity could be the key.

“It will be interesting to see how we match up against them,” said McPeak. “I think playing strong man-to-man coverage will be the decider.”

Tags: Sports