Leopards drop another to Athenas
Campus Times
February 21, 1997
Junior guard Alicia Gibson shoots a two-point attempt against the Athenas'
Andee Whalen at the women's basketball game Tuesday night. The Leopards
had a tough game against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps with La Verne losing the
battle, 62-52.
The rivalry goes deep. Both teams have fought hard to win each game.
When they met earlier in the season, the Leopards lost to the Athenas, 62-57,
in overtime. When they met Tuesday night, the women's basketball team tried
once again to defeat Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS) but was unsuccessful,
losing, 62-52.
The Athenas won the game after an intense second half that had each
team fighting hard to take home the win.
La Verne took control of the ball early in the game and freshman guard
Lori Johnson scored first for the Leopards in the first minute. Following
was a shot by senior guard Kelly Perkins, bringing the score to 4-0.
Athena Tina Hetrick scored first for CMS. The scoring went back and
forth between the two teams, but with 11:01 left in the first half, CMS
was leading 20-15.
Three field goals by sophomore forward Jennifer Spring, Perkins and
Johnson brought La Verne within two points with 8:05 left in the half, to
make the score 23-21.
With 7:17 left, Spring brought the Leopards within one, 24-23 but at
the end of the first half, La Verne was trailing the Athenas 36-29.
"I told them before the game that Claremont can't control how hard
they work," said head coach Julie Kline. "Foul trouble early in
the game definitely hurt us."
The Leopards took control of the ball first but Hetrick was able to
score for the Athenas. With 15:43 left in the game Spring scored again to
make it 42-34 and the Leopards went on a six point run. Shot clock violations
by the Athenas and the Leopard defense kept CMS from scoring for 8:32 and
it allowed La Verne to come within four points, 44-40.
CMS extended its lead to 46-40 with 8:20 left in the game and La Verne
answered by scoring another six points to tie the game 46-46 with 5:55 left
in the half.
For two minutes, the score went back and forth with La Verne keeping
it close and tying the Athenas.
Johnson hit two free throws to give the Leopards the lead for the first
time since the beginning of the first half to make it 50-48.
The Athenas took the lead again with three minutes left in the game
and would not allow La Verne to score until Spring scored again with 24
seconds left on the clock.
The final score was 62-52 and it puts La Verne in third place in SCIAC
behind CMS and Pomona-Pitzer.
"We have to be thankful that we're not ending the season this way,"
said Kline.
Last Friday night, the Leopards traveled to Whittier to take on the
Poets and won 70-44. La Verne was ahead at the half 31-21. Junior forward
Alicia Gibson led the team with 23 points. Senior center Katie Miner had
12 points, five assists and three steals.
The Leopards play the Occidental Tigers Tuesday in Eagle Rock and will
finish the regular season against Pomona-Pitzer at home Feb. 27.