women’s basketball seniors rock
to 15-0 record

“SENIORS ROCK” was spelled out in tape along one wall of Memorial Hall – not for a Rolling Stones concert, but for a Muhlenberg women’s basketball team that is breaking records and receiving critical acclaim on its current tour of the Centennial Conference.

In their last scheduled home game, the four Mule seniors went out as winners, defeating Swarthmore, 78-55. Muhlenberg, which finishes the regular season with three road games before hosting the CC semifinals and final in two weeks, is the first team in CC history to win its first 15 league games.

The Mules (19-3, 15-0), ranked 17th by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and 21st by D3hoops.com, honored the winningest senior class in program history prior to the game. Lauren Boyle, Bethany Enterline, Erin McSherry and Kaitlin Strumph have combined for a record of 85-20.

“On the court we know we can always count on them, whether it’s

Boyle had a hand in all but two of the Mules’ first 19 points, scoring five and dishing out six assists.

for the big box out, the big rebound, the big shot,” said junior Kaitlyn O’Malley. “They’ve been playing like that for four years, and it’s great to celebrate them tonight.

“They’re the best,” she added. “Each has her own personality, and you

Freshman Kathleen Naddaff scored six points in seven minutes in the first half.

can’t replace them. They care for you, they’re there for you. They’re awesome friends.”

They’re also awesome players, and the two who are healthy showed it against Swarthmore. Boyle scored 12 points to move to within nine points of becoming only the fourth player in CC history with 1,400 points and 250 assists. She also added 8 assists without committing a turnover. McSherry, the sixth-leading shot-blocker in CC history, recorded her 150th career swat to go along with 14 points and 9 rebounds.

And just as the Class of 2006 (two of whom attended the game) did three years ago, this year’s senior class has made the team successful by welcoming talented younger players. Sophomore Kelly McKeon played a sensational game, scoring a season-high 18 points on 8-of-12 shooting and pulling down 10 rebounds. Her 4 assists put her over 100 for the second season in a row. Freshman Alexandra Chili scored 16 points, and sophomore Sheila Cook contributed 7 points and 8 rebounds.

The balanced scoring was too much for the playoff-hopeful Garnet (11-11, 8-7), which had only one player in double figures. Muhlenberg shot 47.8 percent for the game and had 23 assists with only 11 turnovers. The Mules led by 13 at halftime and kept a double-digit lead the entire second half.

It was the latest in an impressive series of wins for Muhlenberg, which appears to be getting stronger at the right time of the year. The Mules’ last five CC wins have been by 24, 23, 22, 25 and 23 points.

Rock on.
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