CLARION PHOTO
Rebecca Glasbrenner defends battles UW-Rock County’s Sarah Lancour on Feb. 18. MATC defeated UW-Rock County, 86-51, to advance to the second round of the Wisconsin Junior College Athletic Association women’s basketball state playoffs.
After winning their last 11 games team is focused, as a result they have their
EYES ON THE PRIZE
By CHARLES KURTH
Clarion Staff Writer
Who’d of thunk it? After starting the season with a 3-5 record, there were almost certainly some doubters
out there who thought that the girls would be in for a long season. Don’t think for a second that anyone involved with the team felt that way. There’s a reason why they craft a hellacious non-conference schedule, facing perennial powerhouses like Rochester, DuPage and Joliet. There’s a reason why they traveled all the way to Arizona to play against Division 1 & 2 schools that pay their players to play basketball. The ends for such a tough early season schedule certainly justify the means.
The WolfPack women find themselves
in the driver’s seat on the trip to the national tournament being held in Utica, NY. As fate would have it, during a year in which the women are playing some of the best basketball in recent memory, they also have the fortuitous pleasantry of hosting the NJCAA Region XIII championship game on Feb. 29. An opportunity like this doesn’t come around every year, and anyone with a sane head on their shoulders and is the least bit interested in school pride and athletics in general,
should find themselves firmly planted on bleachers of Redsten Gymnasium, supporting the women in reaching their ultimate goal of the national tournament.
The Lady ‘Pack finished the regular
season strong and stormed into the playoffs with a head of steam that struck fear in the eyes of their opponents.
Perhaps no team in the state loathes the women more than their rival Western Tech, who saw both of their postseasons (national and state) come crashing down on the home court of the WolfPack women. Throw a 35-point win against UW-Rock County into the mix and it’s easy to see why their eyes lie directly on the prize.
MATC 56 – Western Tech 43
Facing a conference rival for the third time in a season, particularly when winning the first two meetings, is never easy to do, regardless of how good your team is. This night was the opening round of the NJCAA tournament
however, and there was much more at stake than just pride. The home team didn’t waste any time as they jumped out to an early 10-point lead and never looked back. Up by 13 at the intermission, and by as many as 21 points midway through the second half, the ‘Pack relied on the same things that have led them to so much success throughout the year; an opportunistic
and harassing defense, dominance
on the boards and strong bench play that other teams simply can’t match. Alyssa Schiele recorded yet another double-double with 17 points and 13 caroms, and Lexie Schmitgen and Abbie Windus pitched in with 13 and 11 points, respectively. Schmitgen rounded out an excellent game by harnessing
nine rebounds of her own.
MATC 86 – UW-Rock County 51
In the opening round of the tournament
that decides the best team in the state, MATC proved that they were the team to beat as they thrashed Rock County in a contest that was only close during the pregame warm-ups. Facing an inferior opponent proved to be a walk in the park for the women, as the visiting Rattlers just simply couldn’t respond to the overwhelming intensity and athleticism that the host team displayed. A 20-point halftime lead was only the beginning of the headache for the visitors, as MATC extended the margin up to 39 points before coming away with an 86-51 victory. Schiele posted her usual double-double with 23 points and 10 rebounds and her sharp-shooting Sun Prairie sidekick Dana Wagner poured in an additional 18 points, including going four of seven from behind the arc. Lexie Schmitgen made her presence
felt as once again as well as she posted 14 points and a team-high six assists.
MATC 84 – Western Tech. 61
As if facing a conference opponent three times in a season wasn’t difficult enough, the women had face Western for the fourth time in just six weeks in the second round of the WJCAA tournament. To say that these two teams aren’t fond of each other would be just a bit of an understatement, and it appeared early on as if Western was getting tired of coming up on the short end of the beating. Relying on some sharp shooting, the visiting Cavaliers gave the early impression that they were going to make a game out of this contest as they hung tight and actually held an early 20-19 lead. Before long however, the ‘Pack began playing the type of basketball that has brought them so much success all season
long. Point guard Whitney Schultz distributed the ball well, Schiele and Schmitgen wreaked havoc on anyone
who dared to enter the paint and Kacey Kuecker kept the defense honest
by going 3-5 from the long range. Schiele, Schmitgen and Wagner paced the team with 22, 14 and 12 points respectively in the victory.
If there’s one thing that’s evident after watching one of the women’s games, it’s the overwhelming sense of team play that is displayed on the floor. Everyone plays well with each other; there is no selfishness, there is no squabbling, there is only five individuals
playing the game as one. This has been the key to the women’s success
thus far this season, and you get the feeling that this team is one that is truly special, unique in their own way. Whatever it is they are on the verge of something special and the prize is on the horizon.
*Editor’s note: At the time of the press deadline, MATC had not yet played in the WJCAA semis or finals which were held on Feb. H23 - 24. For up-to-date information, scores and highlights, log onto the MATC athletics website at: ttp://matcmadison.edu/athletics/ |
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