Over the past week, the Oberlin College women’s basketball team has had two away games, despite falling short in both, neither was a total loss. Rather, both were learning experiences.
In the first game against Kenyon College on Saturday, Feb. 8, the team got off to a quick lead of four points. However, they still ended the first half behind by 15.
“We started off slow defensively,” said sophomore Nicole Burford, “and got behind.”
The team took the time in the locker room to regroup. “We struggled against Kenyon in the first half,” said head coach Christa Champion, “but solved the problem in the second half. We learned how to press again and won the second half by [seven] points.”
Unfortunately, those seven points were not enough for the Yeowomen to win the game. The buzzer rang with the Oberlin women at 53 points and Kenyon at 61.
Senior Malisha Richardson led the scoring for the Yeowomen with 16 points.
Senior Sonja Spencer pointed out that “playing against Kenyon was hard because we had played the night before against Denison,” losing 78-51.
Turnovers were the problem in the second game against Allegheny College Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Though the team managed to make 17 steals and force 27 turnovers, they had trouble scoring and holding onto the ball. They ended the game with 34 turnovers of their own.
“The game at Allegheny was fun defensively because we caused some real havoc out on the court trapping and creating turnovers,” Spencer said. “We always have a bit of trouble rebounding but I do believe we are improving.”
Denison out-rebounded Oberlin 36-29. The game ended with the Yeowomen coming up short, 64-52. Spencer was the high scorer of the night with 15 points.
Though unhappy about losing the games, Champion said that she feels pretty good about her team’s performance in light of the loss of the team’s starting center, junior Tranice Harrell, who recently departed for Chile.
“There is no one like her,” she said.
According to Champion, this loss, combined with building frustration from mounting defeats, makes the Yeowomen’s performance more acceptable. She also said that she is pleased with the team’s “defense, hustle and overall capability.”
As far as the rest of the season goes, Champion hopes the team will be able to “keep up the good work defensively and peak offensively in time for the tournament.”
The Yeowomen next travel to Wittenberg University on Feb. 19.