Thursday, March 3, 1994
Ebinger leads Lady Lions
by Greg Kristen
ColUgiati Staff
"A lot of fire and inspiration,"
said Coach Roz Fomari of her
Lady Lions playing in their first
ever NCAA Division 111 playoff
game last night in Erie Hall.
The game started with the Lady
Lions controlling the ball from
the tipoff. The game was settled
at a 4-4 tie when Wendy Ebinger,
the offensive star of the night for
the cagers, hit her first of five 3-
pointers to give them an early 7-
4 lead.
The tempo changed in that
instant as they went on an 8-1
run in the next three minutes to
up their lead to IS-S at 15:38.
"They did exactly the game
plan that we needed them to do,"
said Fomari.
With 11:50 left in the first
half, the Lady Lions smothering
defense and transition offense
built up a 23-11 lead frustrating
Christi Clay, the star for the Big
Red of Denison.
Fomari said, "We tried to get
out on her as quickly as we
possibly could and that was an
asset to us."
The Lady Lions look their
game to another level as they
went on a 21-4 run in the next
five minutes. With 7:00
remaining in the first half they
broke the game wide open 44-15
with Ebinger’s third 3-pointer of
the half. With that, the Big Red
called a timeout to settle down
their outplayed team.
After the timeout they came
back out and held the Lady Lions
for two minutes while they
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mounted a slight comeback with
a 5-0 run of their own, cutting
the lead to 44-20. Fomari,
seeing that, called a quick
timeout to relax and focus the
team.
The last four minutes were
probably the most even part of
the first half as the teams clawed
and scratched with a slight edge
in scoring going to Behrend 8-7
The half ended with Behrend
holding a monstrous 52-27 lead.
The second half started right
where the first half left off, as the
Lady Lions went on a 5-0.
Denison realizing the rout,
slowed the tempo down at 14:29
and actually led in scoring in the
second half with Ebinger on the
bench. Fomari said, "Our team is
not quite the same when she's
(Ebinger) not on the floor."
With Ebinger back in, they
picked up their defense and went
on another 5-0 run culminated by
an Ebinger three. After that they
rolled all over the outmatched Big
Red by going inside to the likes
of Anne Bonner, Heather Shearer
and Karen Strait, going up 72-44
by 12:25.
Ebinger caught fire again as
she reeled off eight straight
points for the cagers and by the
11:40 mark they had upped their
lead to a commanding 80-44.
With the lights almost turned
out in Erie Hall, Fomari slowly
removed each senior as they had
executed the game plan to
perfection. The last six minutes
was the time for the seniors to
reflect on their domination in
their last game in Erie Hall.
The last minutes of the game
5 p.m.
were for the second team. Even
though they were outscored 29-13
in those last minutes the game
had already been secured by their
senior teammates.
With 1:34 left, all the seniors
on the bench gathered for their
last huddle in Erie Hall showing
the finished product of their
Qolng up strong: Anne Bonner shoots over a Denison defender.
History made!
by Greg Kristen
Collegian Staff
Last Sunday night the Lady
Lions basketball team was
announced to the first ever
NCAA tournament in Behrend
school history.
Paul Benim, sports
information director summed up
their bid saying, "If you knock
experience and domination.
Fomari said of the seniors,
"Every senior played their part all
year long and this is like the
celebration."
Ebinger was high scorer with
29 points by shooting 12-14
from the Held and 5-6 from the
three-point arc. Bonner netted 21
long enough and hard enough
you're bound to wake somebody
up, and that's exactly what they
did."
Becky Swartz added, "When I
saw it (the bid), it was a
reinforcement of what I thought,
but just seeing it there was
unbelievable.”
The long and hard road this
year finally paid off for the team.
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and Michelle Grover chipped in
16 points and 7 assists.
When the smoke cleared, the
Lady Lions 92-73 victory was the
most impressive win of the year.
They played their game and when
it was all over they even shared
their victory with the fans by
cutting down the net.
Jen CcMn/Photo Coordnator
For the past three years they have
fought long and hard for their
goal.
Herb Lauffer, athletic director
said, "The team has not only
done well this year but they have
proven over the last three years
going 61-17 that they can
compete with the best in
Division in."
Behrend basketball history has
been successful with the help of
many people.
Lauffer said, "I would like to
credit Rosalyn Fomari and Rob
Wittman for their contribution. I
would also like to give credit to
Jenepher Banker. It was through
her efforts and hard work over the
last five years that these young
women were recruited and have
remained in this program and
performed so well up to this
point."
This year has been the dream
the team has been looking for.
With the assemblance of the
players they have, it has come
true. The six seniors have been
the stabilizing force far the team
and although their careers at
Behrend are winding down, they
have carved their mask forever in
Lady Lions basketball history.
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