THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 

              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.



DATE: Friday, March 8, 1996                  TAG: 9603080742

SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C3   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER CAA WOMEN'S ROUNDUP 

DATELINE:    NOT MUCH COULD SLOW DOWN JAMES MADISON'S HOLLY RILINGER THURSDAY LE



                    RILINGER LEADS JMU PAST EAST CAROLINA



   Third-seeded JMU (20-7) plays second-seeded George Mason in the second 

semifinal tonight at 7:30.

   ``I tried to do my best guarding her,'' said Charlesworth, who scored 10 

points before fouling out. ``... You can't lay off of her because she can hit 

the 3 and she can go around you.''

   The Dukes led 51-36 when Rilinger came down on Charlesworth's foot and left

the game with 10:28 to play. The lead quickly dwindled to eight points before 

Rilinger returned with 6:47 left.

   ``As I was getting my ankle taped, I looked and the press was killing us,''

Rilinger said.

   The junior scored eight of JMU's next nine points as the Dukes pushed the 

lead  to 15.

   Tracey Kelley led ECU (11-16) with 19 points.

   American 74 Virginia Commonwealth 58    The Eagles overcame poor shooting 

and capitalized on VCU's all-around poor play.

   Fourth-seeded American (16-11) will attempt to knock off top-seeded ODU at 

5:30 today.

   ``I guess (it) was our day,'' Eagle coach Jeff Thatcher said. ``We did some

good things and even when we didn't do some good things, they turned out 

(good).''

   That's mainly attributable to the Lady Rams (14-14).

   American shot 40 percent from the floor while VCU hit 39 percent, including

29 in the first half. In fact, the Rams had twice as many turnovers (14) as 

field goals in the opening stanza and trailed 36-21 at intermission.

   The Rams' only lead came on Maria Albertsson's jump shot to open the 

scoring. She finished with a game-high 28 points.

   ``This is a disappointing end to a pretty disappointing season,'' Ram coach

Peggy Sells said.

   Becky Greenfield was one of four American players to score in 

double-figures with 17.
   George Mason 80 William and Mary 69    In the final game of the day, George

Mason fought off the Tribe's late 3-point barrage.

   Trailing 70-55 with 3:54 left, William and Mary hit three consecutive treys

to pull within six points with 2:05 left. But Julie Hamiel's turn-around 

jumper with 1:21 left, which would have brought the Tribe (14-13) within four,

went in and out. The Patriots (17-11) then got a pair of free throws from Keri

Chaconas, who finished with a game-high 24, and another from Cricket Pearson 

with 41.6 seconds left to get the lead back up to nine.