Nov. 27, 2000
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Game 5: vs. SACRED HEART UNIVERSITY
Nov. 27, 2000 * A.P. Kirby Sports Center (3,500) * 5:45 p.m.
SERIES HISTORY: This is Lafayette's second meeting with the Pioneers of Sacred Heart. The Pioneers hold a 1-0 edge over the Leopards, a 82-64 win on Nov. 23, 1999, at the William H. Pitt Center.
LAST MEETING: A 41-point second half wasn't enough to come back from a 20-point half-time deficit, as Lafayette dropped its second straight road game to Sacred Heart, 82-64. Four Leopard players scored in double figures, led by Katie Miller's 15 points.
NEXT UP: Lafayette hosts Fairleigh Dickinson on Wednesday as part of a men's and women's double-header at Kirby.
THE COACHES
Leopard Head Coach Pat Fisher (East Stroudsburg '60) is the winningest coach in the history of Lafayette College basketball. She has led the program to a 289-266 mark (.521) since arriving on College Hill. She earned East Coast Conference (ECC) Coach of the Year honors three times, while leading the Leopards to conference titles in 1984-85 and 1986-87. Fisher is assisted by LaRonda Murphy (Saginaw Valley State '91), Dean Dedopoulos (North Adams State '79) and Val Davis (Kutztown '83).
Ed Swanson (Sacred Heart '89) has been at the helm of the Pioneers' program for the past decade. He has posted a career mark of 140-133 in that time, including a record of 11-7 and a third place finish in the Northeast Conference last season. Swanson is backed up on the bench by assistant coaches Ali Jaques (NYU '98) and Lorraine Morrisey (Pace '97).
WELCOME HOME
Tonight's game against Sacred Heart is not only the Leopards' home opener, it is also the first individual game they are playing this season. Lafayette has played in tournaments the past two weeks, both in the New England states. The Leopards faced Vermont and Radford at the Howard Bank Classic at Vermont and they spent their Thanksgiving break meeting with Fairfield and St. Francis (N.Y.) in the Warner's Classic in Fairfield, Conn.
BAYER CAUSES HEADACHES?
Sophomore center Jennifer Bayer broke out of a two-game scoring slump this past weekend at the Warner's Classic, netting back-to-back 18-point games and earning All-Tournament honors. Much to the horror of the St. Francis Terriers, Bayer was 9-11 from the field, scoring most of her points in the low post. The 2000 Patriot League All-Rookie selection and the Leopards' leading scorer last season had averaged just 8.5 points per game in the Leopards' first two meetings of the season. After the games against Fairfield and the Terriers this past weekend, Bayer leads the team in scoring, with 13.3 points per game, and rebounding with 6.3 per contest.
GUARDING HAUGHEY
Lafayette's freshman starting shooting guard Megan Haughey was not known for her outside shot, at that was no secret. But with senior Christel Rocha running the floor at the point, Haughey often finds herself alone outside the arc. Prior to the games at the Warner's Classic, she would pass on the open three, opting to drive the lane or pass into the post, which gave her defenders room to slack when she was behind the arc. But the three-point line isn't looking so elusive for the freshman from Pittstown, N.J., as she was 2-for-3 from three-point land in the Leopards' win over St. Francis (N.Y.) in the consolation game of the Warner's Classic. Haughey finished the game with 10 points, two rebounds and two steals in her fourth collegiate start.
SACRED HEART
The Pioneers come to College Hill for their second road game of the season, bringing with them a record of 0-2 this season. The team's last loss was also it's home opener as it fell to Hartford 67-55. Leading the team in scoring this season is sophomore Brooke Kelly. The 5-10 forward is averaging 9.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Ashley Durmer is actually leading the Pioneers on the glass, averaging 6.0 boards per game. Freshman forward Shannon Quinlivan had a breakout game in Sacred Heart's 68-58 season-opening loss at Pittsburgh Nov. 18, scoring 14 points and shooting 3-for-5 behind the arc. Kelly also came up big in the Pittsburgh loss, recording 12 points, three boards and two steals.
THE SUPPORTING CAST
Not always recognized by Lafayette opponents is the depth that the Leopards boast off the bench. The Lafayette roster features 15 players at the present time and will be up to 16 once sophomore forward Elizabeth Rojahn recovers from a preseason back injury. Outside shooting specialist Jen Corvigno came into the St. Francis game to net 10 points, including two three-pointers, two assists and a steal in 10 minutes of action. Also providing relief for the starters in the backcourt or at the small forward position is sophomore Kim Costello. Costello nailed a three-pointer of her own against the Terriers while she dished three assists and gathered two rebounds and two steals. The Leopards' freshman import from Hawaii Ashley Watamura came in for the last eight minutes of the game against St. Francis, going 3-for-3 from the field for six points and five rebounds.
ROJAHN INJURY UPDATE
Elizabeth Rojahn, Lafayette's second-leading scorer last season, has not been able to dress for a game yet this season due to a lower back injury suffered in mid-September. The 5-10 forward started all the Leopards' 29 contests last season, averaging 11.3 points and 3.9 rebounds as a freshman. Rojahn is currently listed as day-to-day and will not compete against Sacred Heart.
2000-01 CAPTAINS
Samaiyah Council and Laurie Infantino have been named the captains of the 2000-01 Lafayette women's basketball team. Selected by their teammates, Council and Infantino will provide the team with leadership and experience both on and off the court this season. Council will watch over the backcourt this season as a point guard while Infantino will take charge of the frontcourt as a 5-11 junior forward.
LAFAYETTE IN YOUR LIVING ROOM
The Lafayette College women's basketball team will see at least 12 contests hit the television air waves this season. The Lafayette Sports Network will air games to more than 5.2 million viewers in the Lehigh Valley, central New Jersey, New York City and Boston. Locally, the telecasts will be aired on RCN TV-4 and WBPH-TV 60, and will cover the entire Lehigh Valley as well as Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Mercer and Warren counties in New Jersey.
LEOPARDS WALK ON AIR WAVES
Lafayette's women's basketball team boasts the largest commercial radio package in the Patriot League this season, seeing at least 12 of its contests take to the airwaves of WEST-AM Stereo 1400. Both of the Leopards' home and away regular season league contests against Lehigh, Bucknell, Navy, Holy Cross and Army will be broadcast by the voice of Lafayette Athletics Dick Hammer, one of the most highly-respected radio broadcasters in the Northeast. Broadcasts will begin approximately five minutes before tipoff while coverage of the Patriot League tournament will also be accessible to the listening public.
LEOPARDS PROWL THE WEB
Check out the latest information on all Lafayette sports on the web: www.lafayette.edu
You can find press releases, game notes, schedules, rosters, players features, photos, fan polls, box scores, up-to-date season statistics and much more. Also, a journal by junior Christina LiVecchi is featured on the site. The web is updated within an hour of each contest.
In addition, you can recieve a daily e-mail update by e-mailing krewsonp@mail.lafayette.edu and requesting your e-mail address be added to the daily update list.
