After a superb season, Elizabethtown College’s women’s basketball team was unable to capture the Landmark Conference Championship this past weekend. After an encouraging win over the Catholic University Cardinals on Wednesday, Feb. 22 in the semifinal game, the Blue Jays came up short in the Conference Championship versus the #3 Scranton Royals on Saturday.
The Landmark Conference Women’s Basketball Championship started out well for the Blue Jays. The team was able to handle Catholic University easily with a blowout win, 81-64. It seemed like every Blue Jay was firing on all cylinders in this one, both on the offensive and defensive end. Four different players reached double figures, including junior guard Cyleigh Wilson who led the team with 23 points. In 28 minutes of play, Wilson was efficient from the field and rained in a barrage of three pointers, finishing seven of nine from downtown.
Other Jays that made major contributions included junior guard Jessica King who was a force to be reckoned with. Her 19 points and 11 rebounds gave her a double-double on the day. Sophomore guard Summer McNulty seemed to be making a play every time she had the ball in her hands, contributing 18 points to go along with six assists and six rebounds. Sophomore forward DaniRae Renno reached 10 points and feasted on the glass with an astounding 17 rebounds, including six on the offensive end, also good for a double-double.
Unfortunately, day two of the Landmark Conference Championships would not hold the same fate for the Blue Jays. Taking on the #3 Scranton Royals for the third time this season on Saturday, the third time would not be the charm, and the team fell to the Royals 54-69. McNulty was the team’s leading scorer with a 20 piece on eight of 19 shooting from the field, but Scranton’s tough defense made it difficult for any Blue Jay to score efficiently.
Things looked promising early for Etown after an electrifying start that saw them get out to an eight-point lead and while they maintained the lead by quarter’s end, Scranton was catching fire from the field. The second quarter would be the turning point where the Royals would continue to hit their threes at an efficient rate, hitting six threes at a 66.7% rate at the end of the first half. They stole the lead with a little less than five minutes to go in the second quarter and would run away with the lead from there on out.
Fortunately, the Blue Jays will make an appearance in the NCAA Division III Women’s Basketball Championships after earning a tournament berth this past week. This makes it back-to-back years with tournament appearances for the team. Their first round bout will be played against #21 Stevens College in Newport News, Va. on Friday, March 3 at 6 p.m.
