Dec. 19, 2002
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Match Up: Lafayette (1-5) vs. St. Peter's(1-5)
Tipoff Time; 7:00 p.m.
Site: Easton, Pa.
Arena: Kirby Sports Center (3,500)
Series: Lafayette leads 0-1
THE STORY LINE: The Lafayette Leopards (1-5) play host to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference opponent St. Peter's (1-5) on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Kirby Sports Center.
THE SERIES (second meeting): Thursday marks the second meeting between Lafayette and St. Peter's. The Peahens won the only meeting 69-32, in a 1980-81 AIAW post-season game.
LAST TIME OUT: Lafayette co-captain Colleen Fitzpatrick scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds on her way to an All-Tournament selection, and the Leopards dominated Drexel statistically, but fell to the Dragons 77-71 in overtime in the consolation game at the Brown Classic. With a three guard lineup, Lafayette controlled the tempo early, opening up a 32-26 halftime lead. The Leopards continued to push the pace and opened up a 15-point margin at 45-30 at the 15-minute mark in the second half. Drexel slowly cut into the Lafayette lead, and managed to tie the score at 66 with 27 seconds remaining. The extra session started slowly, but Drexel went ahead for good after a Jackie Falson three-pointer making the score 72-68. Lafayette could not come from behind, shooting just two-for-eight from the foul line. The Leopards fell to host Brown University 71-50 in the first round game played on Saturday.
LAFAYETTE VS. THE METRO ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION: The Leopards have compiled an overall record of 25-18 versus all Metro Athletic Association opponents. The Leopards square off against St. Peter's for only the second time in the history of the two schools.
STARTING LINEUP SHUFFLE: Tammy Smith has employed four different starting lineups in six games this season. After losing Lindsay Myers to a season-ending knee injury, Smith's move to start Kristin Doherty in her place has paid dividends. Also, at the beginning of the season Lafayette was rotating Jen Bayer and Brianne Welte at center, but Smith's move to a three-guard lineup with the addition of freshman Brittney Rothweiler has revived the Leopards' intensity. Rothweiler, Doherty and Kim Costello make up the backcourt, and Colleen Fitzpatrick and Liz Rojahn man the paint.
WEEKLY AWARD WINNER: Lafayette freshman Kristin Doherty became the first Leopard to win a Patriot League weekly award during the 2002-03 season. Doherty captured Rookie of the Week honors after helping lead the Leopards to their first win of the young season, a 68-62 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson, by netting a career-high 17 points to go along with career-bests of eight assists, against only one turnover, and six rebounds. In Lafayette's opening-round loss in the Brown Classic to host Brown University, Doherty matched her career-high with six rebounds and added nine points, three assists and two steals. The freshman came back in the consolation game against Drexel to play 43 of the 45 minutes, dropping 10 points and adding four assists.
ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS: Lafayette junior co-captain Colleen Fitzpatrick captured All-Tournament Team honors at the Brown Classic. Fitzpatrick scored 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds against host Brown University, and then netted 24 points and snatched a career-high 12 rebounds in the Leopards' consolation game against Drexel.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE: Lafayette junior forward Colleen Fitzpatrick has scored in double-figures in all six Lafayette games this season, and is second in the Patriot League in double-doubles this season. Fitzpatrick has recorded two in six contests. She scored 18 points and collected 11 boards against Fairleigh Dickinson (Dec. 3) and netted a season-high 24 points to go along with a career-high 12 rebounds in the Leopards last contest against Drexel (Dec. 8).
DYNAMIC DUO: Two of Lafayette's tri-captains, Colleen Fitzpatrick and Liz Rojahn, make up the Patriot League's second rated scoring duo averaging a combined 29.3 ppg. Fitzpatrick is second in the league averaging 18.0 ppg, and Rojahn ranks 14th, netting 11.3 a contest.
TRIPLE THREAT: Three double figure scorers make up Lafayette's starting five . Colleen Fitzpatrick headlines the three-headed offensive attack, netting 18.0 ppg. Fellow co-captain Liz Rojahn is scoring 11.3 ppg, and freshman guard Kristin Doherty has hit for 10.5 ppg.
"OH CAPTAINS, MY CAPTAINS:" Senior Liz Rojahn and juniors Colleen Fitzpatrick and Elecia Kruise will lead the team on and off the court as team captains in 2002-03.
THE COACHES: Lafayette continues to reshape its women's basketball program under the tutelage of second-year head coach Tammy Smith (East Stroudsburg '82). Smith finished her first season at Lafayette with a record of 3-25, but her first official recruiting class brings rekindled excitement to College Hill. LaRonda Murphy (Saginaw Valley State '92) enters her fourth year as the head assistant on the Lafayette staff. Smith is also assisted by second-year coach Shelby Kealy (Denver '98) and first-year assistant Ron Hoffman (Penn State '72) completes the staff. St. Peter's head coach Mike Granelli enters his 31st season as coach of the Peahens. Granelli has amassed a 579-220 record at St. Peter's and in his collegiate coaching career.
NEW LOOK LEOPARDS: Tammy Smith welcomes her first recruiting class to College Hill, as six freshmen appear on the Leopards' 15-player roster. Four of the Leopard cubs have seen extended minutes early in the 2002-03 season.
FABULOUS FROSH: Freshman guard Kristin Doherty has made a significant impact early on in her basketball career at Lafayette. She has already claimed a conference Rookie of the Week award and leads all Patriot League freshmen in scoring with 10.5 points per game. The poised Doherty dropped 17 points and added six assists and no turnovers in her first collegiate start in the Leopards win against Fairleigh Dickinson. Doherty also ranks sixth in the conference in assists with 3.3 per game.
PICK POCKETS: With an up tempo style and an aggressive full-court defense the Lafayette women are averaging an even 9.0 steals per game. The Leopards are led by the quick hands of guard Kim Costello (2.67 spg). Costello ranks fifth amongst Patriot League leaders in steals.
SHARP SHOOTER: Once again, Lafayette junior forward Colleen Fitzpatrick sits atop the Patriot League standing in field goal percentage, and ranks 46th in that department in the counrty. Fitzpatick is making 58.3 percent of her shots, already knocking down 42-of-72 shots this season. Last season the forward led the Patriot League in field goal percentage at an astounding 62.0 percent from the field, and in 2000-01, Fitzpatrick connected on a conference best 54.8 percent of her attempts.
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARDS: Lafayette senior center Jen Bayer currently ranks seventh on Lafayette's career rebounding list. Bayer has grabbed 604 rebounds and counting in her career on College Hill and needs only 11 more boards to pass Theresa O'Connell ('90) to move into sixth place.
WEB SAVVY: Lafayette sophomores Ashley MacLelland and Brianne Welte combine to pen this season's installment of the Lafayette Women's Basketball Journal on www.GoLeopards.com. MacLelland and Welte explain what it takes to be a student-athlete on College Hill, and take you in the huddle and behind the scenes of Lafayette women's hoops. Also, visit www.GoLeopards.com for the quickest and most comprehensive information on Lafayette athletics. The site is continuously updated with gameday press releases, schedules and results, rosters, statistics, player features, photos and more. And do not forget to tune in to WEST-AM 1400's broadcast of Lafayette women's basketball on www.GoLeopards.com, as well as watch a live stats feed of all home contests.
GREAT EXPECTATIONS: Since Lafayette's Keri Hollister was named to the All-Patriot League Rookie Team for her efforts in 1994-95, the Leopards have had eight straight players honored on the All-Rookie Team. Current Leopards Jen Bayer, Colleen Fitzpatrick and Lindsay Myers all have all-rookie hardware on their shelves, and seven Leopard freshmen will vie to keep the tradition alive in 2002-03.
