The Observer, March 7, 2008
Volume XL, Issue 20
Horton gets 1000, Spartans get a win
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The last game of the regular season for the Case Western women's basketball team served as a perfect farewell to two seniors who played their hearts out whenever they took to the court with a Spartan uniform. Ashley Horton and Mary Herendeen were the two catalysts in last weekend's Case victory of Emory University. With the help of their teammates, and the warm spirits of the fans cheering on the women in their last home game, the Spartans pulled out a triumphant 71-66 victory against the visiting Emory Eagles.
Herendeen finished the game with 22 points, including five three-pointers, and left Horsburgh Gym one last time as a winner. Similarly, Horton completed her collegiate career with yet another stellar performance. With a game-high 24 points and 10 rebounds, she recorded her 12th double-double of the season and the 33rd of her career.
"The past four years I've had good teammates and good coaches," said Horton. "That's how I've gotten all the points and rebounds."
A pair of free throws at the very end of the game was especially memorable for Horton. With 4.8 seconds left in the game, Horton and her teammates knew two things – the Spartans in position to end the season on a winning note, but Horton had a chance for a rare milestone. The senior guard needed only one more point to notch 1000 career points. And no better way for Horton to do so than to ice the game on the free throw line.
With the entire team eagerly anticipating what they thought was inevitable, Horton calmly hit both free throws to give her a career total of 1001 points. She was able to put the team over .500 for the season, and felt great after doing so. "The past couple games I haven't done well [shooting free throws], so I was nervous and really emotional," Horton said after the game. The nerves and emotions that were inside Horsburgh Gym that afternoon were only a part of what the Spartans accomplished this season.
The Spartans' will to win was on display on Saturday versus Emory. At intermission, the Spartans had a slight 27-26 advantage. Freshman guard Caitlin Henry, the reigning UAA Athlete of the Week for women's basketball, finished the game with five points and four assists. Henry, along with Ashleigh Tondo and Colleen Martin, continued to play physical and emotional basketball.
The team was determined to make Horton and Herendeen's farewell a fond one. The Eagles would mount a comeback, and posted a 50-49 lead with a little less than 10 minutes remaining in the game. However, the Spartans kept fighting, and sophomore Kristyn Adkins put Case up three in the closing moments, leading the way for Horton to seal it with the free throws.
"This victory was an emotional one for the girls, and I'm so happy for the two seniors," said coach Jennifer Reimer, who completed her first season as Case's head coach on Saturday. "Ashley and Mary were so valuable for us this year, and they definitely led us to our victory today."
