Volume CXXXIII, Number 14 February 1, 2002 f

Women's basketball team ranked 2nd in the nation
JENNIFER LARAIA
STAFF WRITER

It's been nothing but time in the winners' circle for the Bowdoin Women's Basketball team this season. This past weekend the Lady Polar Bears were twice victorious, capturing games 14 and 15 of their 15-0 record. Currently, the Bowdoin team is ranked second in the Division III national pole. After last year's tremendous season, which culminated with their Sweet Sixteen berth, the Lady Polar Bears seem to be taking their game to a new level.

Jessie Mayol '02 takes a shot against Bates. (Colin LeCroy, Bowdoin Orient)

Although it was a weekend on the road, the Bowdoin team did not seem fazed by long bus trips or opposing crowds. On Friday night, the team took on Middlebury College and came out victorious, 57 to 43. Bowdoin took the early lead, as the team entered halftime with a score of 35 to 15. Lora Trenkle '04 led the Bowdoin scoring effort, netting fourteen points; Kristi Royer '03 added twelve, while Lindsay Bramwell '04 and Erika Nickerson '05 each chipped in seven points. Royer matched her scoring contribution with twelve rebounds, leading the team.

On Saturday afternoon, the Lady Polar Bears defeated Williams College in a tough match-up, outscoring Williams 66 to 53. At the half, Bowdoin only led by a margin of six points, necessitating strong second-half play. Royer paced the Polar Bears with thirteen points, while Trenkle scored twelve, Bramwell contributed eleven, and Jessie Mayol '02 netted ten. Alison Smith '05 scored eight points, while Kristina Fugate '04 added six. Corinne Pellegrini '03 and Jess Reuben '03 also joined the scoring charge, adding four and two points respectively. Royer grabbed nine rebounds, while Bramwell crashed the boards to pick up six. While the Bowdoin team returned to Brunswick having maintained its perfect season, Williams dropped to 11-5.

Royer, who leads the Lady Polar Bears in both scoring and rebounding, was awarded the Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association co-player of the week award for her efforts this past weekend and for her performance in the match-up against Bates. Tri-captain Royer says of the team's season, "We're just taking it one step at a time, one game at a time.

We're trying not to think about last year; we need to concentrate on what we have to do every day of this season." Royer acknowledges that her team is entering into the most challenging part of the season-the Polar Bears have shown themselves ready to take the next step.

On Friday night, the Bowdoin team will travel to Lewiston to take on Bates for what promises to be a good match-up. Two weeks ago, the Lady Polar Bears defeated the Bates Bobcats 65 to 51 in a hard-fought battle.

Although home-court advantage is always desirable, Royer hails from Lewiston, thus providing greater incentive for a Bowdoin victory. On Saturday, Bowdoin will go up against Tufts; the Jumbos are 9-8 on the season.