THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 22, 1995 TAG: 9512220574
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VICKI L. FRIEDMAN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
Stop and start. Stop and start. Stop and start. It was almost beginning to look like Christmas would be here before the 19th-ranked Lady Monarchs were done routing South Florida Thursday night at the field house, 95-54.
In a two-hour span, Old Dominion and South Florida hit 52 of 74 shots from the free-throw line in a contest that saw more whistles than Santa will give out for the holidays.
Still, the Lady Monarchs (5-1) managed to cruise into a week-long layoff before heading o the Louisville Tournament Dec. 29.
``At first we struggled because they kept calling fouls,'' said ODU's Nyree Roberts, who scored nine points. ``Then in the middle of the game we played our game, and then at the end, they kept calling fouls again.''
Hesitating, she grinned and said, ``And they kept calling them on me.''
Roberts was one of two Old Dominion players to foul out.
The Bulls (4-5), who are 0-11 against the Lady Monarchs, scored the first five points, but ODU scored the next 13 to take a lead they never relinquished.
South Florida, led by Haylee Ahu with 11 points and Sonya Swick with 10, went more than eight minutes without a score midway through the first half and only managed to stick close by hitting 13 of 14 from the stripe.
``This is only my second game back since knee surgery and any game is hard for me to get into a rhythm,'' said ODU's Amber Eller, who had nine points and was 5 for 7 from the line. ``When you're always hitting free throws, it is difficult to get into a rhythm with people in the crowd watching you and taunting you.''
The Monarchs, up 28-23, went on a 14-0 run at the end of the first half, and South Florida never got close again.
Clarisse Machanguana led all scorers with 22 and was one of five ODU players in double figures. Twelve ODU players saw playing time, including sophomore Angie Liston, making her first appearance since knee surgery last year.
``We got everybody on the floor, and that's important,'' said ODU coach Wendy Larry. ``I thought our defense was solid throughout the game.''
In the first half alone, ODU had 14 steals and South Florida committed 19 turnovers. ODU missed several shots underneath or the score might have been even more lopsided.
``Before the game we talked about going out and having fun,'' Eller said. ``Christmas on the way and all. But we knew we had to take care of this first.'' by CNB