November 19, 2006 - U. Penn 77 Rider 65
November 19, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Women's College Basketball
University of Pennsylvania 77, Rider University 65
LAWRENCEVILLE—The Broncs lost to the University of Pennsylvania Sunday afternoon. “I think we’re getting better,” said head coach Tori Harrison. “We’re putting points on the board, we only had eight turnovers and we had a lot (16) of offensive rebounds. We just have to do a better job on defense.”
Holding a 47-40 lead, Penn (2-0) went on a 21-8 run, eight points by senior guard Joey Rhoads, to take a 68-48 lead with 7:50 left to play. Rhoads finished with a game-high 25 points and five assists.
Trailing 72-52, Rider out-scored Penn 13-5 over the final five minutes of the game, six points by junior Janele Henderson (Brooklyn, NY/Bishop Loughlin), for the final score. Henderson finished with a team-high 17 points and grabbed five rebounds.
“It was a good comeback, but it was too late,” said sophomore Shaunice Parker (Waldorf, MD/West Lake). “We should have done it earlier.”
Trailing 16-8, Rider out-scored Penn 12-4, 10 points by Parker, to take a 20-18 lead with 7:41 left in the first half. Parker finished with a career-high 16 points despite playing just 22 minutes due to foul trouble. Parker also contributed four rebounds and a career-high four steals.
“In the first half I was just trying to play my game,” said Parker, who had 12 points in 12 minutes of action in the first half. “I was feeling good. I thought it was a good game. We all worked hard, but it was the little things we didn’t do that cost us the game. I just wanted to step up and help my team. I know what I’m capable of, and today was a sign of that.”
Trailing 26-22, Penn went on a 13-2 run to take a 35-28 lead. Rider freshman Amanda Sepulveda’s (Perth Amboy/Hun) shot at the buzzer made the halftime score 35-30.
Freshman Ashley Anderson (East Orange) added a career-high 12 points and eight rebounds in just 18 minutes off the bench for the Broncs. “I’m very proud of Ashley, she’s a special kid,” Harrison said. “She’s very athletic and she showed that today.”
Rider freshman Stephanie Wisniewski (Levittown, PA/Villa Joseph Marie) grabbed a career-high seven rebounds and blocked a career-high four shots.
Senior forward Monica Naltner added 17 points and 16 rebounds for Penn.
Rider travels to Hofstra November 26. “It’s early in the year,” said Harrison, “we can’t get frustrated. I think it is just a matter of changing our attitude.”
-RU-
