Feb 19, 2011
HARRISONBURG, VA -- The Eastern Mennonite women's basketball team found a way to end the regular season with some drama. After two convincing wins full of offense earlier in the week, the Royals got locked in a physical, defensive match Saturday at home against Guilford, but still pulled out a big win in overtime, 79-74.
EMU's women also finish the season with the fifth seed in the upcoming ODAC Tournament and will take on fourth-seeded Washington & Lee in Salem next Thursday, Feb. 24, at 3:00pm. The Generals ended EMU's year in the semifinals last year before winning the tournament crown.
Randolph-Macon and Bridgewater each finished the regular season 17-3 in the ODAC, but the Yellow Jackets claimed the top seed in the tourney on a tie breaker. Roanoke was a game behind and takes the third seed. For complete ODAC brackets and gametimes, see the ODAC Tournament website.
The Royals came out slowly Saturday in Yoder Arena, with Guilford quickly jumping to a double digit lead. EMU finally took its first lead with 9:42 left in the game, but still trailed by seven with 3:49 to play.
Sophomore Danielle Rittenhouse (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) started the comeback. After an EMU timeout, Rittenhouse connected on a three-point play to trim the lead to four.
The Royals forced a turnover and a pair of missed shots before Kala Yoders (Myerstown, Pa./ELCO) scored four straight and tied the game from the free throw line with 1:21 on the clock.
The Quakers ended the 7-0 run with a jumper at 1:07, but Yoders scored again to re-tie the game at 64-64. Each team missed on chances to score and the game slipped into overtime.
After giving up the first points in the extra session, the Royals took over with 10 straight points. Yoders capped the streak with a jumper at 2:39 to make it 74-66.
Guilford got back within four with a triple with 19 seconds left in OT. After Rittenhouse hit one of two free throws, the Quakers got another shot to fall to trim the lead to three with nine seconds to go.
But Yoders made a pair of tosses with seven ticks left to ice the 79-74 win.
"To finish our season with these three wins at home is huge," said EMU Coach Kevin Griffin. "We really executed well over those final eight minutes of regulation and overtime. I drew up a couple of new plays and the women executed them perfectly."
Rittenhouse had a career high 22 points along with two steals. She also went 8-for-9 from the free throw line. It was the third time over the past five games she has scored 20 or more.
Yoders was right behind with 21 points and eight rebounds. She was 9-12 from the free throw line and scored 12 of EMU's final 24 points, including the Royals' final six in regulation.
Bianca Ygarza (Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor) added 11 points and four rebounds, including three offensive. Sara Lamneck (Swoope, Va./Buffalo Gap) just missed a double double with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Griffin said his team kept their cool in a tight game.
"I thought we kept our composure even when the game got really intense," he said. "And a big key was our 39 free throw attempts."
The Royals were 29-39 from the charity stripe while Guilford was just 10-16. That was the biggest difference in the game, as both teams shot under 39% from the floor and three point range while keeping rebounds and turnovers relatively even.
Guilford got all but three of its points from six players, who each scored in double figures. Terry Logan had 14 off the bench. Gabby Oglesby had 16 rebounds, 13 points and three blocked shots.
EMU finished the season at 15-10 and 13-7 in the ODAC. Guilford comes in at 14-11 and 10-10.
EMU's women also finish the season with the fifth seed in the upcoming ODAC Tournament and will take on fourth-seeded Washington & Lee in Salem next Thursday, Feb. 24, at 3:00pm. The Generals ended EMU's year in the semifinals last year before winning the tournament crown.
Randolph-Macon and Bridgewater each finished the regular season 17-3 in the ODAC, but the Yellow Jackets claimed the top seed in the tourney on a tie breaker. Roanoke was a game behind and takes the third seed. For complete ODAC brackets and gametimes, see the ODAC Tournament website.
The Royals came out slowly Saturday in Yoder Arena, with Guilford quickly jumping to a double digit lead. EMU finally took its first lead with 9:42 left in the game, but still trailed by seven with 3:49 to play.
Sophomore Danielle Rittenhouse (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) started the comeback. After an EMU timeout, Rittenhouse connected on a three-point play to trim the lead to four.
The Royals forced a turnover and a pair of missed shots before Kala Yoders (Myerstown, Pa./ELCO) scored four straight and tied the game from the free throw line with 1:21 on the clock.
The Quakers ended the 7-0 run with a jumper at 1:07, but Yoders scored again to re-tie the game at 64-64. Each team missed on chances to score and the game slipped into overtime.
After giving up the first points in the extra session, the Royals took over with 10 straight points. Yoders capped the streak with a jumper at 2:39 to make it 74-66.
Guilford got back within four with a triple with 19 seconds left in OT. After Rittenhouse hit one of two free throws, the Quakers got another shot to fall to trim the lead to three with nine seconds to go.
But Yoders made a pair of tosses with seven ticks left to ice the 79-74 win.
"To finish our season with these three wins at home is huge," said EMU Coach Kevin Griffin. "We really executed well over those final eight minutes of regulation and overtime. I drew up a couple of new plays and the women executed them perfectly."
Rittenhouse had a career high 22 points along with two steals. She also went 8-for-9 from the free throw line. It was the third time over the past five games she has scored 20 or more.
Yoders was right behind with 21 points and eight rebounds. She was 9-12 from the free throw line and scored 12 of EMU's final 24 points, including the Royals' final six in regulation.
Bianca Ygarza (Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor) added 11 points and four rebounds, including three offensive. Sara Lamneck (Swoope, Va./Buffalo Gap) just missed a double double with 10 points and nine rebounds.
Griffin said his team kept their cool in a tight game.
"I thought we kept our composure even when the game got really intense," he said. "And a big key was our 39 free throw attempts."
The Royals were 29-39 from the charity stripe while Guilford was just 10-16. That was the biggest difference in the game, as both teams shot under 39% from the floor and three point range while keeping rebounds and turnovers relatively even.
Guilford got all but three of its points from six players, who each scored in double figures. Terry Logan had 14 off the bench. Gabby Oglesby had 16 rebounds, 13 points and three blocked shots.
EMU finished the season at 15-10 and 13-7 in the ODAC. Guilford comes in at 14-11 and 10-10.