Central Michigan University Athletics
Women's Hoops Travels To Cleveland State
11/27/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 27, 2000
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MOUNT PLEASANT--The Central Michigan University women's basketball team (1-3, 0-0) Mid-American will have a pair of games slated this week. It tips-off against Cleveland State on Wednesday, Nov. 29, in Cleveland, Ohio and against Wofford College on Sunday, Dec. 3, in Mount Pleasant.
The Nov. 29 meeting will be the third with the Vikings in a series that dates back to 1983. CMU has won both games in the series. The first meeting was an overtime win in Mount Pleasant and the last meeting was a 68-61 Chippewa win in Cleveland in 1984.
This will be a homecoming for CMU's graduate assistant coach Juli Grant. She was a four-year starter for the Vikings and is their second all-time assist leader with 612.
The Vikings are 2-2 so far this season. They are coming off a loss to Oklahoma State, 72-56, and a win over Prairie View A & M, 93-57, at the Koch-Island Classic. They are led by Erika Roudebush and Mahogany Green. Roudebush averages 15.8 points per outing and Green 15.0.
Finally, the Chippewas will have their first home game of the 2000-against Wofford. It will be played as part a doubleheader with the men's basketball team. This is the first time the Chippewas will face the Lady Terriers.
The Lady Terriers are 2-1 going into this week's action. They are riding a two-game win streak with wins over Maryland-Baltimore County, 76-64, and Winthrop, 72-54. Wofford is led by Jenny Nett and Nancy Dubuisson . Nett puts in 15.7 points per game and Dubuisson adds another 11.3.
Last weekend, the Chippewas went 1-1 at the Dead River Company Classic in Orono, Maine.
In the first game of the tournament, CMU lost to Maine, 78-65. The Chippewas sustained their first lead of the season. They had a 12-point lead over the Black Bears and held them at bay for 21 minutes. However, with seven minutes left in the game, the Black Bears completed a 17-6 run to capture the lead. Maine put it out of reach with a final 12-2 run and stole the victory away from the Chippewas.
CMU had a balanced attack with four players shooting in double figures. Vershaun Jones (Detroit/Jr.) led the way with 16 points. Beth Kindel (Clare/Fr.) stepped up her game to post her first double-double with 12 points and 11 boards. Molli Munz (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Jr.) added 12 points and Alicia Rozak (Sterling Heights/Jr.) had 10.
CMU returned to tally its first win with a 69-52 win over Harvard in the consolation match. The Chippewas jumped out to a 6-0 lead on two three-pointers from Munz. The Chippewas lost the lead for 40 seconds but were able to ward off the Crimson enroute to a 17-point victory.
Four Chippewas shot in double figures including two who posted double-doubles. Jones tallied her 12th career double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds and Mandy Elwer (Delphos, Ohio/Fr,) notched her first with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Munz put up her career-high 26 points and Laurie Henderson (Newark, Ohio/So.,) added another career-high 15.
"I think our team stepped it up to the next level last weekend," said Voll. "Everything started to fall into place and I think the team's chemistry began to settle and people started to understand their roles.
"We were on the cusp of victory last weekend. We came in with confidence and we had four kids score in double figures in both games. We controlled the game against Maine but lost that at the end. However, we came back and controlled Harvard the entire match."
The Chippewas brought a level of intensity to Maine that was unmatched in the first two games in Minneapolis, Minn.
"I think that the coaching staff raised the level of intensity all week and the team reacted well to it," said Voll. "You at least want to get a split in these tournaments and our two losses in Minneapolis was an indication that we weren't playing well. To lose the opening match to Maine and then bounce back and beat Harvard says a lot about the resiliency of our team."
One noticeable difference in the Chippewas last weekend was the starting five. Voll used Rozak as the top guard reserve and started Henderson. However, Tara Petrie (Pickerington, Ohio/Fr.) and Kindel have also played guard in the first four games.
" Our lineup is not a set in stone," said Voll. "It all depends on who is doing well so it can change at any time. We have players who can step in and contribute at any time."
With the tournament season over, Voll knows that this experience will add to the team.
"Seeing the six teams we saw in the two tournaments showed our kids how hard you have to play the game." Voll said. "To see Big 10, Big East America East and Southeast teams demonstrates to us what it takes to be successful. The teams are an influence on our players and our program."
POINT EXPLOSION -- After starting the season 1-of-13 from three land, Molli Munz (Bellefountaine, Ohio/Jr.) exploded out of a shooting slump last weekend. Against Harvard, she was 4-for-6 from behind the arc, 7-of-12 from the floor and 8-of-10 from the foul line. She posted a career-high 26 points in the winning effort.
THE "MAINE" MVP -- Molli Munz (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Jr.) earned all-tournament honors last weekend at the Dead River Company Classic in Orono, Maine. She had seven three-pointers and was 11-of-28 from the field. She led the Chippewas to their first victory with 26 points against Harvard last Saturday.
THE CENTURY MARK -- Molli Munz (Bellefountaine, Ohio/Jr.) broke the century mark last weekend by tallying her 101st career three-pointer. She needs 28 more to become the all-time three-point shooter.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE HAT TRICK -- Three Chippewas posted double-doubles last weekend. Mandy Elwer (Delphos, Ohio/Fr.) and Beth Kindel (Clare/Fr.) each notched their first. Elwer had 10 points and 10 rebounds against Harvard and Kindel had 12 point and 10 boards against Maine. Vershaun Jones (Detroit/Jr.) posted the 12th double-double of her career against Harvard. She had 12 points and 11 rebounds.
DIDN'T MISS A BEAT -- Alicia Rozak (Sterling Heights/Jr.) shifted from the starting lineup to the top reserve guard last weekend. She came off the bench to post 10 points against Maine.
SHARE THE WEALTH -- The Chippewas spread the point scoring around in both games last weekend. Four Chippewas shot in double figures in each game. Molli Munz (Bellefontaine, Ohio/Jr.) and Vershaun Jones (Detroit/Jr.) had double figures in both games. Beth Kindel (Clare/Fr.) and Alicia Rozak (Sterling Heights/Jr.) each posted double-digit points against Maine while Laurie Henderson (Newark, Ohio/So.) and Mandy Elwer (Delphos, Ohio/Fr.) were in double figures against Harvard.
CAREER NIGHT -- Many Chippewas had career games on the hardwood at Maine. Molli Munz (Bellefountaine, Ohio/Jr.) posted a career-high five-steal game against Maine and a 26-point effort against Harvard. Laurie Henderson's (Newark, Ohio/So.) 15 points against Harvard was her best, Mandy Elwer's (Delphos, Ohio/Fr.) 10-point, 10-rebound night against Harvard were career highs and Beth Kindel (Clare/Fr.) matched her career-high of 10 rebounds against Maine.
SLUMP-BE-GONE -- Going into last weekend, the Chippewas were 31-for-124 (.250) from the field. Last weekend, the Chippewas shirked their shooting woes against Harvard and shot 22-for-50 (.440) from the floor. They shot .500 (11-for-22) in the second half. The Chippewas have bumped their season shooting average up from .250 to .320.
WELCOME BACK -- Tara Petrie (Pickerington, Ohio/Fr.) saw the hardwood for the first time in two years. She notched nine minutes of play against Harvard and had two assists and one steal. She sat the past two years harboring knee and ankle injuries.
ROAD WEARY -- The Chippewas play eight of the 11 non-conference matches on the road. The Chippewas have yet to face Cleveland State, Detroit, Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Michigan State on the road They host only Wofford College, Oakland and Lake Superior State before opening with two Mid-American Conference home games on Jan. 3 and 6.
HOW ABOUT AN AUTOGRAPH -- Each fan will receive an 8x10 picture of the women's basketball team which can be autogrpahed after the game against Wofford College on Sunday, Dec. 3.
ON THE AIR -- The remaining Chippewas' games can be heard on WMHW 91.5 starting this week.
UP NEXT -- After a taste of home-court advantage on Sunday, the Chippewas return to the road for the next three games. On Dec. 9, they play at Detroit and on the 17th they play at Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
