Grizzlies drop Ravens
Franklin gets first conference win at home over Anderson
The women’s basketball team reached a 3-3 record (1-1 HCAC) by defeating the preseason HCAC favorite Anderson University ravens 75-63 on Saturday. The Ravens fell to 2-4 (1-1 HCAC).
Junior Heather Harper led the Grizzlies in scoring with 20 points, while sophomore Brittney Wilson put up 19. Junior Traci Lippold and sophomore Monica Planalp scored 11 and 10 points, respectively. Planalp led the team in assists with five.
Freshman Kasey Dollens said the team played well and worked hard to beat the Ravens.
“They were picked to win conference, and we came out and beat them. Everything was just really exciting,” Dollens said.
Prior to the game, head coach Kim Eiler talked to her team about having passion and intensity when they play. Her mindset was, “to be the team that plays with emotion and passion, and we’ll see what happens.”
“It’s hard to coach a flat team, but it’s very easy to coach a team that has passion and energy,” Eiler said. “With that, even if the outcome isn’t what you wanted, you can still walk out of the gym feeling good about yourself.”
According to Eiler, the team played excellent defense all night, which was key against Anderson. They controlled the boards and the speed of the game. Eiler said that rebounding and playing at their own speed is what secured them the win.
According to Dollens, the team chemistry played a large role in earning the win. She said the team was working so well together, not getting confused by anyone or anything.
“It was like we always knew where each other was on the court; it seemed like we had been playing together for years,” Dollens said. “We had such good communication that night too, which was key in beating Anderson.”
The scouting report on Anderson showed an athletic team that likes to run the ball. The Ravens are also considered a good shooting team, although, according to Dollens, they were not shooting so well Saturday.
The team specifically had to prepare for Raven forward Mel Hawthorne, who is averaging close to 20 points a game. Hawthorne scored a team-leading 16 points.
“We knew we had to put our best defender on her, which was Traci [Lippold],” Dollens said.
“This win gives our team the confidence they need going into their last conference game before break,” Eiler said.
The team plays again on Saturday, Dec. 13 at Bluffton for their third HCAC game in a row.
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