This year's women's basketball team has some very big shoes to fill. For the past five years, the team has finished at the top of the NESCAC and in the last four years the Polar Bears have advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight, finishing second in 2004.
But the 2005-2006 women's basketball team, ranked third in the nation as of last week, seems poised to carry on the torch. With the experience and leadership of senior co-captains Vanessa Russell, Justine Pouravelis, and Lauren Whitey, the team is preparing to face its NESCAC rivals beginning in January.
The season began with the Eastern Tip-Off Tournament on November 19-20. The first day, the Polar Bears easily defeated Endicott 75-29, ensuring them a place in the finals of the tournament.
Bowdoin faced off with the host of the tournament, the Eastern Connecticut Warriors, the next day, snapping up a 72-39 victory and the championship title. The game was close in the first half, but the Polar Bears got fired up in the second and scored 46 points in the final 20 minutes.
The Bears have some strong first years joining their ranks. Forward Jill Anelauskas '09 scored nine points and made eight rebounds in the team's first game against Endicott, and contributed 16 points in the championship game against Eastern Connecticut?proving to be a strong addition. She received Most Outstanding Player honors for her performance at the tournament.
Pouravelis, Eileen Flaherty '07, and Julia Loonin, '07 also received All-Tournament Honors.
The team upheld its longest home-court winning streak in the nation at home on November 22 with their 56th consecutive win in Morrell Gymnasium. The Polar Bears dominated the University of New England, cruising past them with a 95-49 win. Flaherty led the team with 18 points, and Anelauskas again proved herself a formidable addition to the offense, scoring 17 points overall.
Bowdoin faced the University of Southern Maine, ranked fourth in the nation, on Tuesday night. The Polar Bears have beat USM in every face-off since 1999, but this game proved to be an exception. The two teams were evenly matched, each with 3-0 records going into the game.
Loonin, Flaherty, and Marisa Berne '08 added double-digits to the scoreboard for Bowdoin, but could not save the team from a Husky onslaught effort in the last couple of minutes.
In a last burst of effort, USM stretched its four-point lead to nine off a three-pointer and some layups in the last few minutes of the game for a 64-55 victory.
"We are still hopeful and there is plenty to learn from our game tape. USM is a team that has developed great chemistry, while we are still trying to figure out our roles within the team," Russel said, adding, "Everyone is energized about the season and realizes the potential we have to do great things this year. We'll be ready when NESCACs begin in January."
The women's basketball team will travel to Rochester Polytechnic Institute this Saturday and Staten Island this Sunday.