by Damien Alarcon
Staff Writer
For the women’s basketball team, times have hard since the season opening victory over Life Bible College. The Leopards lost to Westmont College, 74-47, to bring their overall record to 1-3.
“We’ve been playing with no intensity. It seems like we are not into it,” said senior guard Michelle Geiger.
The game was held in Santa Barbara, home of the Warriors.
Westmont executed with a ferocious offensive attack as three players provided double-digit numbers. Bernice Stimes, guard, had 11 points while forward Nichelle Luster contributed 18. Guard Judy Hofkins led Westmont with 20. Heather Johnson, senior guard, had a team high for the Leopards of 14 points, including four three-pointers.
The Leopards, however, did improve in rebounds falling under the Warriors with a difference of seven, 42-35, in comparison to last weekend’s disaster.
Last weekend, ULV traveled to Colorado and endured what some have called “a learning experience.” The Leopards lost both tournament matches 92-47 and 82-54.
La Verne participated in the Colorado Invitational, a two-day bracket-style competition in Colorado Springs. Also present at the tournament were Southwestern University, Colorado College and Gustavus College.
Action began last Friday for the Leopards as they played against Southwestern University, the eventual tournament champions.
Southwestern dominated both offensively and defensively by scoring off 31 turnovers and collecting 54 total rebounds. They also scored 69 points off the bench in comparison to the Leopards’ 11. Lack of depth contributing factor to the loss.
“I think a lot of it had to do with us only having eight people playing when other teams have 15 or 16,” said junior guard Michelle Ballard.
“We are quick and get up and down the floor in the first half but they have subs coming in every minute so it takes its toll.”
Unfortunately, Saturday’s match followed the same pattern. The battle over third place against Colorado College also ended in a La Verne defeat, 82-54.
Colorado swept the floor in the beginning of the game leading after the first half, 42-19.
Senior guard Heather Johnson, team captain, said, “We could have played a lot better and we have the talent to do so. In the second half of that game, we picked up the tempo and played more aggressively.”
Her sentiments are held true. The Leopards earned 35 points in the second half, 16 points more than the first half performance.
Johnson also earned a spot in the All-Invitational Team. Against Southwestern, she led the Leopards with a team high of 17 points. In the second game, she led the team with 23.
The team will host Concordia tonight in a non-conference duel, scheduled for 7:30 in the Supertents.
Journalism operations manager at the University of La Verne. Production manager and business manager of the Campus Times.