THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 26, 1994 TAG: 9411260191
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
The Old Dominion Lady Monarchs, with numbers whittled down by injuries, will take to the court Saturday to open the season against Syracuse University as hosts of the Dial Soap Basketball Classic.
``We've literally lost six bodies,'' said Old Dominion coach Wendy Larry. ``In this situation you try to find the silver lining - if it had to happen, it's better that it happened now rather than later.''
Injuries have taken their toll on the Lady Monarchs since before the preseason even began.
First it was sophomore forward Jill Berg. Berg broke the sesmoid bone in her foot last season and is now in a cast, suffering from complications that resulted when the break healed badly.
Next in line was 6-6 junior center Angie Liston. During a pickup game in the offseason, Liston was hit in the back while fully extended for a rebound, resulting in an irritated disc.
Those two injuries were bad enough, but as Murphy's Law says, anything that can go wrong, will.
The latest Lady Monarchs to suffer injuries are co-captains Beth McGowan and Amy Rowley. The only two seniors on the squad, McGowan and Rowley are sidelined with stress fractures.
Two freshman guards have also been hobbled by injuries. Amber Eller has a nagging case of bursitis in her elbow and suffered a concussion in practice last week that has limited her effectiveness; Misty Hart has a muscle tear in her calf.
That leaves just four healthy guards - starters Shonda Deberry and Ticha Penicheiro, sophomore Stacy Himes, and freshman Kelly Bradley.
``Any time you have the number of injuries we've had, you have to have people step up and play more than one position. Some of the individuals that would not have seen quality time will get it now,'' said Larry. ``But down the road, I've got to believe that will help us.'' ILLUSTRATION: DIAL CLASSIC
What: Dial Soap Basketball Classic
Where: Old Dominion University field house
Matchups: Saturday - ODU vs. Syracuse, 7 p.m.; Montana vs, Duke,
9 p.m. On Sunday, the consolation game is at 1 p.m., followed by the
finals at 3 p.m.
OLD DOMINION (0-0) With a drastically shortened bench, the Lady
Monarchs will be counting on quality playing time from their
starters, particularly guards Ticha Penicheiro and Shonda Deberry.
Deberry and two other juniors - post players Sarah Willyerd and
Esther Benjamin - must provide direction on the floor.
SYRACUSE (0-0) The Orangewomen return four starters from a team
that went 5-23 last year. Leading returners are junior forward
Kristen McCory (12.1 ppg, 7.5 rpg) and senior guard Melanie Cromwell
(9.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg).
DUKE (0-0) The tallest team in the field overall, the Blue
Devils boast three 6-3 starters: forwards Carey Kauffman and Tyish
Hall, and center Allison Day. Kauffman, a second-team All-ACC
selection last season, averages nearly 13 points a game while
grabbing more than eight rebounds.
MONTANA (2-1) The only team in the field to have already opened
their season, the Lady Griz defeated Simon Fraser and Oklahoma
before losing to 12th-ranked Vanderbilt, 69-65, in the second round
of the Women's Preseason NIT. Senior forward Kristy Langton leads
Montana with 16.7 points per game. Center Jodi Hinrichs averages
12.7 points and a team-high 10.3 rebounds.
by CNB