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Dec. 3, 2007
Christopher Delgado
PRINCESS ANNE, Md.-The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) had three teams in action over the weekend with the men and women's basketball team hosting a double-header on Saturday and the bowling team participating in the Jeanette Lee Invitational. BOWLING After receiving their highest ranking ever in the NTCA poll, the #3 Lady Hawks finished the Jeanette Lee Invitational in third place with a 9-2 mark and improved their overall record to 40-8. The Lady Hawks rattled started off the tournament strong with wins over 2006 National Champion #6 Fairleigh Dickinson (1028-930), #7 New Jersey City (937-885), Hampton (920-885), Bowie State (928-588), Elizabeth City State (833-753), and #12 Adelphi (988-755). UMES opened day two with wins over Elmhurst (737-719), Howard (796-623), and Virginia State (706-546) before falling to #8 Delaware State (819-734) and #4 Central Missouri (813-745) in their final two games. Central Missouri finished first with 9,773 pins; New Jersey City finished second (9,445), and UMES came in third with 9,352 pins. The Lady Hawks posted 11 200 plus games in head-to-head matches. Jessica Worsley (Brick, N.J./Brick Memorial H.S.) was named to the All-Tournament Team after posting four 200 plus games. Kristina Frahm (Oswego, Ill./Oswego East H.S.) the reigning MEAC Bowler of the week posted three games over 200, while Laura Zanrucha (Binghamton, N.Y./Susquehanna Valley H.S.) finished with two, including a team-high 247 against Fairleigh Dickinson. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL In other news, the women's basketball team lost the second part of a double-header to Longwood, 43-42. A controversial call with 1.5 seconds left sent Longwood to the free-throw line where Keiva Small would make one of two to clinch the win for the Lancers. UMES was without its top scorer Tiffany Reid (Philadelphia, Pa./National Christian Academy) and reserve guard Jelila Abdul-Bassit (Anchorage, Alaska/Monroe C.C.) for the game. The Lady Hawk defense held Longwood to 43 points on 32.6 percent shooting. "I can't say enough about the defense," said Head Coach Fred Batchelor. "But when you hold a team to 43 points you have to win. We missed a lot of shots and didn't take advantage of opportunities. We forced 26 turnovers but only scored 16 points on them, half of what we should have. We didn't connect on free throws either, offensively we really just struggled." The Lady Hawks offense was ineffective without Reid and the three-point shooting of Abdul-Bassit. They shot 29.8 percent from the field and 57 percent from the free-throw line, while connecting on just two-of-eight from beyond the arc. April McBride (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle H.S.) led UMES with 12 points and six rebounds. Talareah Frazier (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg H.S.) had a career-high seven points and Kristi Veltkamp (Hudsonville, Mich./Lansing Home School) added six. Longwood was paced by Small who led all scorers with 16 points and finished with a game-high eight rebounds. Odessa Williams and Krystal Garrison added 12 and eight points respectively. It did not take the Lady Hawks long to rebound from the tough loss to Longwood as they routed Western Michigan, 85-66 on Monday night. "I credit the [team's] desire to want to be successful," said Batchelor. "Tonight we found ways to score and paired it with good defense." UMES (3-3) once again had a solid effort on the defensive end holding the Broncos to 18 first half points. Seniors Veltkamp and Brittany Adkins (Millsboro, Del./Sussex Technical H.S.) led the Lady Hawks defense with eight rebounds apiece, while both adding nine points on the offensive end. Veltkamp also had a game-high four blocks. Casey Morton (Mardela Springs, Md./Mardela H.S.) led all scorers with 21 points on four-of-six three-point shooting, while adding four rebounds and assists. McBride finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, six steals, and four assists. Reid looked solid in her return from injury as she added 10 points and five assists. The Broncos were led by Amanda Parker with 15 points. Ebony Cleary and Molly Dwyer added 11 and 10 respectively. "I really have been surprised that we have been shooting it so poorly," said Batchelor. "But you judge success by the effort the kids give and they have been giving me a great effort and tonight it all came together." MEN'S BASKETBALL In other action, the men's basketball team wrapped up an 11-day, five-game road trip with a loss to West Virginia University, 110-44. UMES shot only 25.5 percent from the field and 20 percent from three-point range, while committing a season-high 27 turnovers. In addition, the Hawks were out rebounded for the seventh consecutive game, 45-31 and were dominated inside as the Mountaineers scored 52 points in the paint. Ed Tyson (Baltimore, Md./Walbrook H.S.) finished tied for a team-high 10 points with Denzel Jackson (Philadelphia, Pa./Lincoln H.S.) who added eight rebounds, three blocks, and three steals to lead the Hawks. Marc Davis (Baltimore, Md./Walbrook H.S.) contributed with nine points and a game-high four steals. The Mountaineers had five players finish in double figures, including Joe Alexander who led all scorers with 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting. Alex Ruoff finished with 17 points, while John Flowers added 14. Da'Sean Butler and Wellington Smith chipped in with 12 points apiece. Smith also had a game-high four blocks. The Hawks return home did not end much better as they lost to Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) rival Delaware State University (DSU), 59-47. UMES (1-7, 0-1 MEAC) shot a respectable 31.9 percent but a tenacious Hornets defense held them to 25.9 percent shooting in the second half. The Hawks were also out rebounded for a 15th consecutive game dating back to last season (33-30). "Our shooting was horrendous," said Interim Head Coach Meredith Smith. "We have to make shots; it is as simple as that. They made shots tonight, we didn't." The Hawks were led by Tyson who finished with 14 points, four rebounds, three steals, and two assists. Aleksandar Popovic (Novi Sad, Serbia/Weatherford College) and Davis both added eight points apiece, while Josh Bright (Salisbury, Md./Morgan State University) chipped in with nine off the bench. Donald Johnson led all scorers with 22 points and finished with a game-high 13 rebounds for the Hornets. Joe Dickens and Terrance Parks both chipped in with 13 points apiece. UPCOMING MEET The indoor track teams will compete in their first meet of the year as they host the UMES Lid Lifter Collegiate Invitational on Saturday, December 7. UPCOMING TOURNAMENT The UMES bowling team will take several weeks off before they head to Elmwood Park, N.J. to compete in the NCAA Holiday Jamboree on December 27-29. The tournament is scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. during all three days. UPCOMING GAMES The UMES women's basketball team will travel to Newark to play the University of Delaware in their first road test of the season on Thursday, December 6 at 7 p.m. The UMES men's basketball team will travel to Washington, D.C. to take on George Washington University on Wednesday, December 5 at 7 p.m. The Hawks then travel to Norfolk, Va. for a game against Old Dominion University on Saturday, December 8 at 7 p.m. All basketball games can be heard live on www.umeshawks.com and live on the radio at WTGM-AM 960 The Team. |
