The Virginia women's basketball team will look to build on a solid start as it travels to Richmond tonight to take on the Spiders in a 7 p.m. matchup.
The Cavaliers (1-0) come into action on the heels of their 51-48 season-opening win over Hampton on Friday. Although Virginia led by as many as 14 in the second half, Hampton took the lead with 3 minutes, 11 seconds remaining.
Senior guard Telisha Quarles thought Virginia's freshmen may have been intimidated in their first game.
"There were some" first game jitters for the freshmen, Quarles said. "Our first game was away, and Hampton is pretty loud and noisy, and it's a pretty hostile place to play, but we came through in the end."
Quarles showed some veteran leadership to lead the Cavaliers to the comeback win. She tied the game with less than two minutes left by converting two free throws and put the Cavaliers up 49-48 after converting on a three-point play.
"She showed a lot of poise and confidence," Ryan said. "That sort of permeated throughout the rest of the team."
Two free throws by Cavaliers' newcomer LaTonya Blue with 10 seconds left sealed the win for Virginia.
Virginia will look for its second win of the season when they meet the Spiders in the Robbins Center. To do so, the Cavaliers will have to slow down Spiders' guard Michele Koclanes.
"She's the senior leader on the team," Ryan said. "You've got to stop her to stop them."
|
Last season, Koclanes, an All-CAA first-team selection, led the Spiders in scoring (12.1 points per game) and assists (7.4 assists per game). She is an All-American candidate this season.
"We need to take their point guard out of the game," Quarles said. "She's the key of the team."
"Their point guard is the player who makes everything go," Ryan said. "She's one of those kids that plays with a lot of heart and skill. Last year we just sort of let her run wild."
When the two teams met last season at University Hall, the Cavaliers tallied 31 turnovers but were able to beat Richmond, 83-76. In the game, Virginia had a 24-point lead almost disappear as it stumbled to victory.
"Last year we played them and we barely won," Quarles said.
Even though this is just the second game of the year, Quarles was quick to point how important this game, as well as other in-state matchups, is for the Cavaliers.
"Hampton and Richmond and Liberty, we have to win those games to gain some respect," Quarles said.
Read More
Football lands three additional transfers
By Peter Kriebel | YesterdayOne common trait that stands out with this most recent batch of transfers is size.
Men’s basketball suffers road drubbing versus California
By Emory Huffman | YesterdayVirginia submitted another rudderless performance.
