The Observer, February 24, 2006
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 18
Dempsey helps Lady Spartans continue win streak
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After a rough patch during the middle of the season, the Case women's basketball team is looking to end the year on a high note. The Spartans took two UAA games this weekend to extend their winning streak to three games as they defeated the University of Rochester on Friday night, 66-55, and then continued Carnegie Mellon's three-season long UAA losing streak on Sunday by defeating the Tartans, 72-61. In both games, the Spartans were led by junior guard Dana Dempsey's offensive efforts, including a career-high 23 points against CMU.
After Friday's win against Rochester, the 24th-ranked team in the nation, Sunday's battle with the Tartans certainly seemed like a trap game for the Spartans. The Spartans did start the game with a slightly lackluster performance in the opening minutes as they led by just one point, 20-19, with 8:19 remaining in the first half. After an inspirational timeout by head coach Jacki Windon, the Spartans went on a 20-4 run to take a 40-23 lead into the locker room at halftime.
In the first 20 minutes, Dempsey scored 12 points on four of seven shooting, including making three of her five attempts from three-point range. Case also received a huge lift off the bench as senior forward Andrea Haylett added 11 points, connecting on four of her six field goal attempts and adding three free throws. The Spartans shot the ball well in the opening stanza as they hit 48.4 percent of their shots and connected on four of their nine three-point attempts. The Spartans also played well defensively as they forced 10 Tartan turnovers and limited CMU to just 31.3 percent from the field, including just one of six from three-point range.
In the second stanza, the Tartans battled back admirably for a team that has struggled for so long in the conference. CMU cut the Case lead to just nine points with 7:58 remaining, but the Spartans battled back and increased their lead to 14 points again at the 4:35 mark when senior guard Amber Hammell hit a three-pointer off sophomore guard Mary Herendeen's assist. The Tartans' comeback attempt was sparked by 17 second-half points by Leah Feola, but Dempsey scored 11 to offset her efforts.
Ultimately, it was Dempsey's hot shooting from the outside that set the tone of the game early for the Spartans.
"It is unconscious, something that I don't really think about," Dempsey said of her shooting exploits. "It is really the way shooting should feel like."
In Friday's 66-55 win over Rochester, Dempsey again led the scoring effort as she scored 19 points. Hammell added 13 points and Haylett again sparked Case off the bench with 14 points. Senior forward Carmen Rowan pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds as Case had a 49-44 edge for the game. The Spartans took an early lead with a 10-0 run in the first three minutes, a lead that they would never surrender. The Yellowjackets did not connect on a field goal attempt in the game until there was 9:13 remaining on the clock in the opening half. For the half, Rochester was just three of 23 from the field for 13 percent, and this cold shooting was certainly the difference in the game.
After having won three games in a row, it is evident that the Lady Spartans, like the men's team, are playing their best basketball of the season right now.
"There is a sense of urgency coming down to the end to prove to everybody who we are and how good we can be," said Haylett.
The Spartan women hope to continue the winning streak in their season finale tomorrow against Emory. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. The game will be the last for Spartan seniors Hammell, Haylett, Rowan and Maria Rohrig.
