Last Tuesday, the Hopkins women’s basketball team continued to blaze through its schedule with a win over the McDaniel College Green Terror, extending its undefeated run.
Though the results of a game are easy to see, the hard work and development a team puts in to get there are not always as conspicuous.
Senior center Rory Cole commented on how the team’s preparation in preseason translated to its in-season performance.
“This season we have really shown a calm confidence during our games, even when they have been close or we have been losing. I think that really goes back to the work we put in together this preseason which helped us build the trust and team identity we rely on to pull ahead during games,” she said.
This trust certainly showed on the court. Feeling comfortable on their home court in the Goldfarb Gymnasium, the Jays never gave the Terror a chance to compete. Right off the bat, Hopkins played strong defense and worked to have a variety of players take shots. Within the first minute, senior guard Lillian Scott hit a three-pointer to put Hopkins on the board. The Jays continued this strong play throughout the quarter, holding the Terror to just four points, compared to their 15.
In the second quarter, McDaniel battled to overcome its deficit. Green Terror guard Anna Mondoro put up two points with a layup in the paint, but Blue Jay senior guard Lexie Scholtz quickly answered with a free throw and a three pointer. Scott followed with a layup and then yet another three to widen the score game to 18 points. The Green Terror struggled to fight back. With the exception of one jumper from McDaniel forward Liv Storer, the Jays limited their opponent’s scoring to only free throws, closing the half 32-18.
The third quarter started off slow for both teams. Both teams took multiple shots, but they all missed. It wasn’t until 7:15 that someone put points on the board, as Cole flew in for the rebound and followed it with a quick layup to widen the Hopkins lead.
Though the Terror squeezed in a layup of their own from guard Jamese Word, the Jays were completely unfazed. Cole made back-to-back free throws, followed by a layup by junior guard Maggie Wodicka and a jumper from Scott. After three successful shots from Terror guard Caroline Ward, the quarter ended with the Jays up 15.
The fourth quarter was more back-and-forth, marked by continued strong play by Cole and Scott and important points from sophomore forward Elise Moore, senior guard Madison McGrath and freshman guard Diarra Oden. Though the Green Terror did all they could to keep themselves on the board, the Jays only widened their lead. When all was said and done, Hopkins emerged the victor by a wide margin of 23 points, the final score a triumphant 61-38.
Looking forward, Cole commented on the team’s goals for the season.
“We have worked really hard the last couple of years to find a team identity, and I think we finally know who we are as a team,” she said. “This year one of our biggest goals is to keep building that identity as a team and show it whenever we step onto the floor, which will hopefully lead to a Centennial Conference Championship.”
Up next, the Jays will hit the road to face No. 20 Gettysburg College on Nov. 29.
