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Printer-Friendly ModePoor shooting plagues Lady Cardinals as postseason pressure increases
January 29, 2007 —
On a day when the motivation should have been enough, the Lady Cardinals brought a lackluster effort in a 63-56 loss to Northern Michigan on Saturday.
SVSU shot just 36 percent for the game, including 32 percent in the second half, and allowed the Wildcats to shoot 30 free throws in the loss.
The Lady Cardinals came into the game just percentage points ahead of Ashland for the eighth and final spot in the GLIAC tournament. SVSU dropped to 4-7 in the conference with the loss, but stayed ahead of the Eagles, who lost to Grand Valley State 94-61 on Saturday.
Coach Vonnie Killmer attributed the loss to lack of effort, something she found puzzling.
"We're kind of at a loss," she said. "With a chance to solidify a playoff position like we had this weekend, it'd be a no-brainer for me. I would be coming to play."
Instead, SVSU lost its third consecutive game. The Lady Cardinals dropped a 68-65 decision to Michigan Tech on Thursday.
The Lady Cardinals played from behind for most of the game, last holding the lead at 41-40 with about 14 minutes left in the second half. They kept the game close, but their shooting woes eventually did them in, as they scored just 15 points the rest of the way.
"We just weren't working hard enough to get good looks," Killmer said.
Killmer used a six-player rotation for a vast majority of the game, bringing senior Bernettra Grayer off the bench. With senior Val Smith out with an ankle injury, Killmer said the team had no choice.
"We usually play about seven (players)," she explained. "But Val was hurt, so we needed to suck it up for a weekend."
Junior Kara Kinzer found her way into the game in the last minute after Grayer fouled out.
Grayer's foul situation was not unique for the Lady Cardinals, who also had junior LaTille Ross foul out. Additionally, sophomore Tricia Everett and junior Jenna Schroeder had four fouls, while junior Brittany Burns had three, all in the first half.
"(The fouls) were just a lack of effort," Killmer said. "We had no intensity for most of the game, and when we did, we just couldn't sustain it."
As a result, the Wildcats took 30 shots and made 21, while SVSU went just 9-of-13 from the line. Northern kept it close in the first half by shooting 14-of-16 from the charity stripe, and cooled off in the second half, shooting just 7-of-14.
The Wildcats were paced by junior Allison Carroll, who went 7-of-7 from the field and scored 18 points, and sophomore Kelsey Deacon, who also scored 18 and brought down six rebounds.
Ross had another double-double for SVSU, scoring 12 and grabbing 12 boards. Schroeder led all scorers for the second game in a row, pouring in 19 on 7-of-19 shooting. Burns added 13 points, but on 3-of-12 shooting, and dished out six assists.
Saturday's loss, coupled with a 68-65 loss to Michigan Tech on Thursday, dropped SVSU's home record to 2-6, a trend that Killmer was also puzzled by.
SVSU has two tough matchups this week. On Wednesday, Ferris State, 8-3 in the GLIAC, comes to town before Lake Superior State, tied for first atop the North Division with Grand Valley State at 9-2, arrives on Saturday.