Women can't handle Saints or Stags, lost two in MAAC
Pete Theis
Issue date: 1/22/08 Section: Sports
The Loyola women's basketball team discovered last week that they need to work on finding offensive and defensive production without injured senior captain Meghan Wood. The Hounds dropped two games, first to Siena on Friday night at Reitz Arena, and then to Fairfield University in Connecticut on Sunday afternoon.
In both games, they could have used Wood's senior leadership, who may have helped them pull out at least one of the two close games.
On Sunday, the Greyhounds shot just 21 percent in the first half before mounting a furious rally in the second half en route to a 48-41 loss to the Stags.
The first half was one of Loyola's sloppiest as they produced just 18 points off of five made field goals. The loss of Wood has hurt the Hounds in the paint, but her leadership role is an even tougher hole to fill.
"Anybody on this team can step up and hit shots, but it's tough to fill Wood's role on the floor with her leadership," junior Siobhan Prior said. "We really just have to trust each other every time we go out and play. Just keep together; that's how our team is."
Loyola certainly trusted each other in each other in the second half as they played excellent team defense, holding the Stags scoreless for over nine minutes. They cut an almost insurmountable 17-point lead to three. Prior nailed a jump shot to pull Loyola within six with less than three minutes left in the contest.
On the ensuing play, the Hounds employed a full-court press to get back in the game, and freshman Meredith Tolley knocked the ball out of Fairfield's Shireyll Moore's hands.
As the ball came bouncing out of Moore's hands, sophomore Kaitlin Grant picked up the loose ball, dribbled down the court and hit a driving layup while being fouled in the process.
After Grant made the free-throw, Fairfield's lead was just three at 44-41. Loyola got its chance to cut the lead or tie up the score after the Stags missed two shots. However, Fairfield tied up the ball and recovered possession on the jump ball. Needing a big stop to still have a chance in the ballgame, the Hounds were unable to collect a defensive rebound as Fairfield collected three-straight offensive boards before finally putting in a layup that sealed the win for the Stags.
In both games, they could have used Wood's senior leadership, who may have helped them pull out at least one of the two close games.
On Sunday, the Greyhounds shot just 21 percent in the first half before mounting a furious rally in the second half en route to a 48-41 loss to the Stags.
The first half was one of Loyola's sloppiest as they produced just 18 points off of five made field goals. The loss of Wood has hurt the Hounds in the paint, but her leadership role is an even tougher hole to fill.
"Anybody on this team can step up and hit shots, but it's tough to fill Wood's role on the floor with her leadership," junior Siobhan Prior said. "We really just have to trust each other every time we go out and play. Just keep together; that's how our team is."
Loyola certainly trusted each other in each other in the second half as they played excellent team defense, holding the Stags scoreless for over nine minutes. They cut an almost insurmountable 17-point lead to three. Prior nailed a jump shot to pull Loyola within six with less than three minutes left in the contest.
On the ensuing play, the Hounds employed a full-court press to get back in the game, and freshman Meredith Tolley knocked the ball out of Fairfield's Shireyll Moore's hands.
As the ball came bouncing out of Moore's hands, sophomore Kaitlin Grant picked up the loose ball, dribbled down the court and hit a driving layup while being fouled in the process.
After Grant made the free-throw, Fairfield's lead was just three at 44-41. Loyola got its chance to cut the lead or tie up the score after the Stags missed two shots. However, Fairfield tied up the ball and recovered possession on the jump ball. Needing a big stop to still have a chance in the ballgame, the Hounds were unable to collect a defensive rebound as Fairfield collected three-straight offensive boards before finally putting in a layup that sealed the win for the Stags.
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