Holman, Warczinsky highlight ‘ugly’ win

It was not pretty, coach Sue Guevara said afterward, but the CMU women’s basketball team found a way to win Saturday.

Instead of the run-and-gun style of play CMU prefers, its 59-56 win against Ohio was one that required the team to battle until the end and grind out a win.

Ohio’s defense helped set the tempo, forcing 12 turnovers and limiting CMU to 20 shot attempts in the first half.

“They came out really aggressive and we were kind of complacent in the zone (defense),” junior forward Kaihla Szunko said. “We weren’t cutting hard in places and getting open.”

Once CMU found itself behind by double-digits with six minutes to play in the half, the team went on a 10-0 run to tie the game while holding the Bobcats to 0-for-6 shooting and two turnovers.

Senior sparks

For the second consecutive game, senior guard Kendra Holman helped spark the team’s comeback efforts, scoring on two consecutive possessions to cut OU’s lead to two points.

“She gives us some energy, can push the ball and, defensively, has been doing a pretty nice job since we’ve been mixing up our defenses,” Guevara said.

The game was a back-and-forth affair — there were six lead changes and seven ties — that came down to several plays made by Holman and fellow senior guard Heidi Warczinsky. A 3-point field goal from Holman with 4:18 remaining in the game put CMU up 51-46, its largest lead of the game.

Following a 7-0 Ohio run that gave the Bobcats a 53-51 lead with 1:41 remaining, Warczinsky grabbed and laid in an air ball from 3-point range by junior forward Shonda Long.

Warczinsky also helped seal the game for the Chippewas.

While holding on to a 55-54 lead with just more than a minute remaining, she took a charge that gave CMU the ball. On the next possession, Warczinsky issued an assist to a cutting Szunko, who laid the ball in — a basket that proved to be the game-winner.

“She brings that intensity and passion when she comes on the floor,” Guevara said. “She’s one our best interior passers.”

Poff Prevention

A big part of the CMU defensive effort was its ability to limit Ohio senior guard and leading scorer Jenny Poff (11 points per game) to eight points on 2-of-11 shooting.

Poff, a native of St. Johns who had family and friends in attendance, was held scoreless in the first half.

“Our kids did a good job of keying on her, knowing where she was and making it difficult (for her) to get shots off,” Guevara said.