Women mellow about record
Daniel AbbeyValparaiso’s women’s basketball team has given two Mid-American Conference teams their first losses of the season.
And when it travels to Rose Arena tonight at 7 p.m. the Crusaders hope to make it three.
CMU is off to its best start since 1982-1983, and with a win, it would be the best start in school history.
“We are playing so well as a team and going out and playing our hardest every game,” said senior guard Erin Kuhl. “It’s just a much more experienced team this year with such a big class of seniors. Seniors win games and we’re just trying to be leaders and we have a good mix of skill sets.”
Ball State was the latest team to suffer its first setback to Valpo. The Cardinals had the same 5-0 record as CMU, but were beat 61-49 at home. Kent State was 2-0 at the time it met the Crusaders (4-2), and lost 66-62 in overtime.
“They are a good team, very disciplined, good shooters, good drivers and good defenders,” Kuhl said. “It’s going to be a good matchup and a really hard-fought game.”
While Central has been averaging 73.4 points per game it also has held opponents to just 52.6 points a game while forcing nearly 20 turnovers.
A defensive battle is probable as Valparaiso has been holding opponents to just 57.8 points per game.
“Valparaiso is a very well coached team,” said CMU coach Eileen Kleinfelter. “We can expect some very hard-nosed man-to-man defense and lots of movement.”
Valparaiso beat Central in their only two meetings, the most recent coming last year when the Crusaders made 17 three pointers in an 81-60 win.
“We want to come out and play very hard and be physical,” she said. “They are a very challenging team, very aggressive and run their offense very well.”
The Crusaders have three players who average double digits in points, led by Carrie Myers at 14.3 points per game and Betsy Rietema who averages 14.
CMU also has three players averaging double figures, led by junior forward Ann Skufca at 14 points per game. Skufca had her second double-double of the season with 18 points and 10 rebounds in the team’s 66-44 win at Cleveland State Tuesday.
As for the possibility of starting 6-0, Kleinfelter says she hasn’t really paid much attention to it.
“It doesn’t really predict the season by any means,” she said. “It’s enjoyable because you want to win, but it doesn’t really matter.”
