In The News

January 30, 2003

NU women's basketball improves as season progresses

By Steve Chambers
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

Winning six out of their first seven games gave the Norwich University women's basketball team a very promising start. The team was on track to repeating last season's accomplishment of reaching the Great North Atlantic Conference (GNAC) championship game.

It is now a new season, and the Cadets have lost a few key players but have also gained some very talented newcomers who are poised to work hard and dedicate themselves to helping the team reach its goal of competing in the GNAC championship game and hopefully bringing it home to Vermont.

Kristen Purcell, 20, a junior English major from South Glen Falls, N.Y., is very optimistic about how the team's season is progressing.

"We have had some very tough out of conference games, but we continue to work hard and focus on keeping our intensity and reaching our goal of a GNAC title," Purcell said.

The Cadets are now at a record of 6-5 after enduring four straight losses over winter break.

Steve S. Lanpher of Barre, Vt., is the head basketball coach for the Cadets. Lanpher is very pleased with his team's effort and intensity and acknowledges that the team is on a bit of a slide. He attributes this to their very tough non-conference schedule and looks to the losses as preparation for conference play, which starts on Jan.18. "My expectations are still to be able to compete for the GNAC title," Lanpher said.

One main focus of the team is to work on their overall shooting.

"Coach tells us to keep shooting and stay focused and the shots will fall eventually," said Kristen Lavallie, 18, a freshman biology major from Ticonderoga, N.Y.

"We have good team chemistry, we practice hard together and we are there for each other all the time, on and off the court," said Tiffany Burroughs, a junior physical education major from Newberry, Vt.

According to Burroughs, the Cadets will have to rely on each other to pull themselves through this slump they are going through.

"It's the 'us against the world' mentality that coach tries to instill in us, so that we work as one unit together to overcome all obstacles in front of us," Burroughs said.

Lavallie boasts that the Cadets' sister-like friendships and the positive influence of Coach Lanpher are all they need to get through their rough times and get back on their winning track.

Inara L. Coleman, 19, a psychology major from Poughkeepsie, N.Y. attributes the preseason workouts to the Cadets overcoming this setback.

"During preseason we played all week long, lifted weights and ran sprints, which got us really in shape for the season," said Coleman.

The Cadets are currently 10-5, with their next game on January 28 at Western New England College (WNEC). The next home game will be on the fouth of February against Southern Vermont at 7 pm.

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