Historic season ends for lady Lancers basketball
By Ryan Rogers
Sports Editor
March 5, 2008
HAMILTON – The Lancers Women’s Basketball team closed out their record-breaking year against the nationally ranked McMaster Marauders in the Western Conference Finals over the reading week, losing 64-53.
After a close match up with the Western Mustangs, where the women won 71-69, the Lancers took their third playoff game of the post season on the road to the brand new David Braley Athletic Centre at McMaster University to qualify for the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships.
Theresa Burns, head coach of the Marauders said, “It was a battle the whole way. We knew that Windsor was so strong a team and we really had to fight on every single possession tonight.”
She continued, “We talked about making sure we hit the floor and tied them up and it was just, ‘Don’t leave anything on the floor tonight.’ You have to give it everything you have.”
Burns said she was proud of her team. “They stepped up huge. It was a team effort, it wasn’t a player, it was a total team effort, offensively and defensively we got the job done.”
Burns liked her team’s defense. “I thought we did a very good job of taking away the three-point looks tonight and when they battled underneath they had their arms up. I was really proud of our defense tonight,” said Burns.
The Marauders had a strong performance from their leader, Lindsay DeGroot. “She’s so confident and she’s been our leader,” said Burns. “We rely on her for so much. It’s a big deal and a big game and she stepped up tonight.”
DeGroot had a game-high 21 points, 11 rebounds, a steal and a block by the end of the game. DeGroot has already been named the 2007-2008 OUA West Player of the Year.
Lancer head coach Chantal Vallee enjoyed the season her team floored this year.
“It was a phenomenal season, absolutely phenomenal from start to finish,” said Vallee. She doesn’t think her team should feel discouraged about the loss. “I think if anything it’s going to give us some more reason and purpose to try again and try to get a run at the whole thing next year. It was a tremendous first experience for everybody to make it in to the finals.”
Vallee felt the Lancers couldn’t keep up with McMaster in the third quarter.
“We played them tight in the first, second and fourth quarter. We lost the third by more, we were shooting 50 per cent the first have, and we shot 17 per cent the second. I think it was more us becoming frazzled and losing our poise. We just lost our poise and that’s what I feel the worst about,” said Vallee.
But her roster is certain to come back hungry for the next season, as the entire roster will be returning for the Lancers.
“It was a first experience and it was absolutely amazing for this to be our story. Maybe next year we’ll do it all the way to the end,” said Vallee.
One major addition to the team was Iva Peklova who made a solid impact on the organization in her first year in Canada.
“I like the league because there are a lot of teams to play against, and I think the level of the league is really good,” said Peklova.
“Of course, for me, it’s nice because I’m probably the tallest player in Ontario, which is fun,” she continued.
“McMaster is a really good team, and they have a lot of good experienced players,” said Peklova.
“They went through the finals so many times, they weren’t even nervous, and you can tell. I think we were a bit more nervous,” she said. “We didn’t show our best game.”
The Marauders are the highest ranked team in the OUA, at third overall in the country, just behind Simon Fraser and the University of British Columbia (UBC).
The Marauders won their second OUA championship in three years with a victory over the Toronto Varsity Blues on March 1.
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