THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 3, 1997 TAG: 9701030651
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VICKI L. FRIEDMAN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 53 lines
During the preseason, the women's basketball coaches in the Colonial Athletic Association promised the league was getting better.
And in the first 2 1/2 months of the regular season, that appears to be so, with the nine teams going a combined 53-27 against non-league opponents.
Noteworthy perhaps, but will any team be able to prevent second-ranked Old Dominion from capturing its sixth straight league crown? ODU was barely challenged last season, with no CAA team coming closer than 13 points.
A better question might be: Will any team stop ODU from going on a 19-game conference sweep heading into the NCAA tournament? ODU has not fallen to a CAA team since 1995, at James Madison. The Lady Monarchs haven't lost at home to a CAA team since 1992, beaten by tonight's opponent, Richmond.
The Spiders (6-4) get another shot at the Lady Monarchs (9-1) at 7:30 at the field house in the CAA opener for both teams.
Richmond, though still in the bottom half of the conference, is among the most improved teams in the league under new coach Bob Foley. The former Providence coach emphasizes up-tempo, high-scoring offense and full-court pressure defense. The Spiders responded with a 4-0 start and three games with more than 100 points.
How do the Lady Monarchs gear up for an opponent they blew out by an average of 45 points a year ago? Easy, says senior point guard Ticha Penicheiro.
``Richmond's played a tough schedule; they've played Vandy and Duke already. They're ready for us,'' she said. ``Right now we are the best team on their schedule. We are the target they want to beat. We know starting our conference we can't look down on any team.''
For good reason. In addition to ODU's impressive victories over Stanford, Duke and Vanderbilt, George Mason, American and James Madison also have posted big victories. The Eagles upset Virginia on Nov. 24, and the Patriots, led by super freshman Kristeena Alexander, beat 12th-ranked and previously undefeated Auburn on Monday to win the Central Florida tournament. The Dukes (9-1) are off to their best start in coach Shelia Moorman's 14 seasons, including a road win at Minnesota in that team's Dial Classic. Even conference cellar dweller UNC Wilmington is 7-2.
``It's all about this conference leaving its infancy stages, becoming an adult and getting some respect on a regional and national level,'' said ODU coach Wendy Larry. ``It does nothing but good things for the other members of the conference.''
VCU PLAYER DISMISSED: Virginia Commonwealth coach David Glass this week dismissed sophomore point guard Sarah Trayers from the team for violating athletic department policy. Trayers, of Earlysville, Va., had played in all nine games this season, starting in eight. VCU opens the CAA season tonight at UNC Wilmington.