Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 24, 1994 TAG: 9402240255
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The top-seeded Maroons were dazed early by a physical Eastern Mennonite team but went on to win their opening-round game 73-45 at the Salem Civic Center.
Junior center Crystal Wilson set a Roanoke record for blocks in a game with seven, and senior guard Kristi Workman tied the school's record of 10 steals.
"They're a very physical team," said Susan Dunagan, Roanoke's coach. "We knew what was going to happen, the question was, how would we adjust? We were frustrated but didn't let that get the best of us. In the second half, instead of fighting the frustration, we put our energies to good use."
Roanoke (21-4) made 33 percent of its field-goal attempts in the first half and committed 11 turnovers. The eighth-seeded Royals (7-18) shot 27 percent, had 19 turnovers and trailed 34-22 at halftime.
Becky Miller came out strong in the second half and scored six of the Royals' first 10 points to pull Eastern Mennonite five points down with 13 minutes, 21 seconds to play. But Roanoke went on a 24-6 run to put the Royals away.
Workman, who also had five points, five assists and six rebounds for the Maroons, said the fast-paced game was a big reason for her record amount of steals.
"Both teams were out of control at times, and I was just glad no one got hurt," said Workman, a 5-foot-2 guard from Radford. "It was a real relief when we started getting baskets, pulled away and got that 10-12 point lead."
Wilson scored a team-high 14 points, and freshman Ashley McCallum, a William Byrd High School graduate, came off the bench to score a career-high 12 for Roanoke.
Miller and Teresa Grant each scored nine points for Eastern Mennonite, and Stacey Payne added a team-high eight rebounds.
The Maroons play again Friday at 10 a.m. against the winner of today's Virginia Wesleyan-Bridgewater game.
by CNB