By: Jill Wunrow
GreenBayPhoenix.com
GREEN BAY, Wis.
(GreenBayPhoenix.com) - After practicing nearly a month, the Green Bay women's basketball team
competed against someone other than itself as the Phoenix opened exhibition
play with a 59-39 win over Michigan Tech Saturday at the Kress Events Center.
Junior Adrian Ritchie (De Pere, Wis.) led all players with 20 points and four
steals while senior Julie Wojta (Francis Creek, Wis.) posted a double-double
with 13 points and 13 rebounds in the win.
"We were kind of wondering who was going to step up and be
our other scorer besides Julie and I thought Adrian showed some toughness
offensively and wanted the ball in her hands," said head coach Matt Bollant who
begins his fifth season with the Phoenix. "We need her to step up and do that
and I was pleasantly surprised with her performance."
Ritchie set the tone for the Phoenix early, forcing two
turnovers and scoring four of Green Bay's seven points in the first three minutes
of action. Known for her three-point shooting, Ritchie went 0-for-2 from long
range in the first half but shot 4-for-6 from the field while shooting a
perfect 4-for-4 from the free throw line. The junior guard poured in 12 points and
grabbed three steals throughout 17 minutes of play in the first half.
"I feel really good shooting, I tweaked my shot a little more
in the offseason," said Ritchie. "At the same time it's also about what the
defense gives and they took away the three-point shot so it forced us to drive
more."
As a team, Green Bay shot 34 percent from the field and sank
13-of-14 free throw attempts to build its largest lead of the half, 31-15, at
the break.
Green Bay led by 19 in the second half with 14:09 to play before
the Huskies went on an 8-0 run to cut the Phoenix lead to 11 with 10:48 to
play. Freshman Megan Lukan (Barrie, Ontario) quieted the Huskies with her lone
three pointer of the contest on the following possession, opening up a 15-5 run
for Green Bay.
After grabbing eight rebounds and scoring seven points in the
first half, Wojta also led the battle on the boards in the second half with
five in addition to chipping in six points. The Preseason Second Team
All-League selection finished the contest with 12 defensive boards throughout
38 minutes of play.
The Phoenix finished the game shooting 34 percent from the
field and 78 percent from the free throw line while sinking just 1-of-14
attempts from beyond the arc. Juniors Lydia Bauer (Lake Zurich, Ill.) and Sarah
Eichler (Grafton, Wis.) each chipped in eight points in the win.
"We were just a little slow and sluggish offensively and didn't
have that crisp, sharp look but it's something we need to work at getting
better at," Bollant said. "We have actually shot the ball better than any team
I've coached since I've been here but not it just comes down to repetition in
the games."
RITCHIE REUNIION: It is safe to say that after Green
Bay's Sweet 16 appearance in last year's NCAA Tournament, Phoenix fans all
across the country have had the first competitive game of the 2011-12 season
marked on their calendars for quite some time. But no one has been more excited
for the Green Bay vs. Michigan Tech exhibition game than the Ritchie family.
Adrian's younger sister Jillian is a freshman on the Michigan
Tech squad and Saturday's game was the first time in three years that both have
been competing in the same game.
"I've been pumped up for this game since the schedule was
released," said Lauren Law, mother of Adrian and Jillian. "For me, as a mom it
is just awesome to have all three of my girls in the same gym at the same time."
Both Adrian and Jillian were two-time all-conference
selections at De Pere High School while their older sister Erica, who was
cheering in the stands during the game, was a stand-out athlete on the track
and field and volleyball teams.
"It wouldn't matter if they were bowling today, it was just
the fact they were all together in the same gym," said a tearful Law. "The love
they have for each other is just so special."
At the Division II level, if there is a chance a player may
redshirt, they may not play in exhibition competition. As a result Jillian and
Adrian were never on the court at the same time, but that did not matter.
"To see Jillian over there and being a part of her first
collegiate game was really cool," said Adrian. "It's always special for all of our
family to be in the same place at the same time.
The Ritchie family was able to spend about 30 minutes
together after the game in order to take pictures and exchange hugs.
Green Bay will wrap up exhibition play as it hosts Cedarville
Saturday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. at the Kress Events Center. Regular season play
begins on the road with a trip to North Dakota State Nov. 11 before Green Bay
hosts Toledo in its home opener Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Kress Events Center.
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