Cardinal Points

Issue date: 11/17/06 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Shumpei Kishi

"Our number one goal is to change everything," women's basketball Head Coach Cheryl Cole said.

It's a brand new season for the Plattsburgh State University College women's basketball team.

The returning six players and the coaching staff made a pact to make the least amount of reference as possible to last year's 6-19 season.

Cole was confident in saying that whatever happened last year was last year, and hopes the returning players won't lose the lesson they learned last season.

"Every experience is an experience, it makes you get something out of it and for them its knowing what we went through and what we don't want to go through again," Cole said.

She also mentioned that herself, the coaching staff and the returning players have been working toward this season since spring break.

The team focused, however, not on game play, but leadership and chemistry to help propel the team once the season started.

The aforementioned returners include team captains Lynette Cray and Megan Lynch, sophomore Vanessa Arthurton, juniors Ashley and Jacee Sutton and senior Yuri Inomata.

Players who were not on the roster for the Lady Cards last year are Jessica Dooley, Detina Santiago, Stefanie Martino, Molly Harte, Casey Clark, Debbie Davis and Shoshana Harris.

Cole sees the team's strength as their speed and ability to attack the basket from all different angles.

Dooley, a freshman, believes the team is really starting to come together.

"We're getting along great and our playing has really improved," she said.

Cole feels the team is deeper this year, and consists of a roster full of weapons.

"We have 13 people on the roster and there's not one of those people who's not going to be able to contribute any given night," she said. "That's a refreshing change and advantage for us…we have a variety of different skills and more people to put the ball in the basket,"

The Lady Cards have already had two scrimmages and an exhibition game so far in the preseason.

Cole was happy to see her team get better in every successive contest.

Harte, a freshman guard, has confidence in the team this season.

"We're playing pretty good and we have a good team chemistry," she said.

Cole sees one setback in her team that may come into play during the season,

"We're not the biggest team in the world," she said, and joked about putting players on a stretch board to gain some height. "What we have to do to overcome that is be smart, understand positioning, be more active defensively and play to our strengths to minimize our weaknesses."

The Lady Cards will open up its season tonight, with the opening game of the Cardinal Classic. PSUC will tip-off against Russell Sage at 6 p.m. in the Memorial Hall Gym.

Other teams attending the Cardinal Classic include Colby-Sawyer and Castleton State.

The winner of the PSUC Russell-Sage game and the winner of the Colby-Sawyer/Castleton State game will face off for the championship Saturday at 3 p.m.

The consolation game for third place will be held beforehand, at 1 p.m. The Cards will then travel to St. Lawrence to play Tuesday night at 6 p.m.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools