The Cavalier women's basketball team will tip off the 2006-2007 season tonight on the road against the Rhode Island Rams. This season will be the team's first in the John Paul Jones arena, and Virginia will look to start the season off on the right foot tonight. The Cavaliers are hoping to improve on their 25-4 record in season openers under coach Debbie Ryan.
"This summer we've worked the hardest we've ever worked," junior guard Sharneé Zoll said. "I'm very excited. This is what we've waited for since the Pittsburgh game, to get on the floor and play a real game."
The Rhode Island game will be used as a gauge of Virginia's improvement in the offseason. The Rams are coached by Tom Garrick, who will battle against Virginia after serving as an assistant under Debbie Ryan in the summer of 2004.
Rhode Island finished a disappointing 8-20 last year with a loss to Dayton in the Atlantic 10 Tournament. The Rams will look to turn the program around behind Garrick and four starters from last year. Crucial to the team's turnaround will be junior guard Safi Mojidi. Mojidi, who made the preseason second team All-Atlantic 10, was a complete player for Rhode Island last year. She averaged 15.4 points per game and 2.5 rebounds per game last year and was also the team leader in three-pointers, assists and steals. The key to the game for Virginia might be the matchup between Zoll and Mojidi.
After the game against the Rams tonight, Virginia will return home and get a short rest before playing perennial powerhouse Old Dominion Sunday to open John Paul Jones Arena. The Lady Monarchs have not been ranked since 2003, but they return four starters from a team that went 22-9, won the CAA conference title and reached the NCAA Tournament last year. The Cavaliers hope the opening of their new arena will give them a significant home-court advantage.
The Cavaliers will have their hands full with Old Dominion, which is projected to win the CAA again this year. The Lady Monarchs are led by senior forward Sherida Triggs. Triggs started all 31 games for Old Dominion last year and was the team's leading rebounder, averaging 7.2 rebounds per game. Old Dominion also returns their leading scorer, junior guard T.J. Jordan.
The Cavaliers will have to put in two strong performances to emerge from this weekend with a perfect 2-0 record. The Cavaliers also can't afford to overlook Rhode Island tonight while looking towards the Old Dominion game.
"It's going to be a challenge mentally, not so much physically," sophomore forward Lyndra Littles said. "We're physically in the best shape I've ever seen us since we've been here. It's basically back to back, we have to go up there and then rest our bodies, and we have to get refocused for Sunday's game. Everything is going to be mental this year."
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