Women's Basketball Preview: Young Team Brings New Look to Program
Will Armbruster
Issue date: 10/28/09 Section: Sports
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Last year, the lady Lancers finished 8-21. In 2007, Caruso's first year with the program, she led the squad to a 16-13 record overall. This year the team returns six letter winners including two starters. The team has also added five new players.
Caruso and gang had their first practice of the season last Fri., Oct. 16 and will play their first game Fri. Nov. 13 in Blacksburg vs. the Hokies of Virginia Tech.
Caruso explained that having expectations or goals is hard for a team with such little experience. "My only goal is to play hard," said Caruso. We're extremely young so it's going to take some time so the main thing is playing hard every day to get better"
"We are very inexperienced so we need to get everything together in terms of a game plan in a timely matter," Caruso explained. "Because of the inexperience factor, its hard to tell how many points we're going to average or things like that, but we definitely need to improve on three-point shooting, field goal percentage and other statistical categories to be better overall."
Among the two returning starters this year is senior standout Becky Fernandes. Last year the captain point guard averaged 8.9 points per game, along with 4.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game as well. The ladies' other returning starter is junior guard Krystal Garrison who averaged 8.3 points last season and tacked on 37 three-point field goals.
Besides Fernandes and Garrison, Caruso has high expectations from other returners as well. Junior Mallory Short and sophomores Brittani Billups, Morgan Smith, and Emma Zieverink are all expected to offer strong contributions this year.
"Krystal [Garrison] didn't have a great year last year but has come back stronger, quicker, and in better shape. And Mallory [Short] had a great freshmen year with us, but unfortunately had to red-shirt last season," said Caruso. "So we're excited about having her back, but overall everyone has come back a lot better."
In addition to returning impact players, Caruso also says that her freshmen are going to be a big part of the game plan. "Erin Neal/Durham, N.C. (Hillside) is someone we're really excited about who I believe will impress a lot of people," said Caruso. "Another freshman, Crystal Smith/Richmond, V.A. (Meadowbrook), is a great point guard with amazing court vision who will have a chance to prove herself as well." The Lancers have also added guard/forward Chelsea Coward/Mechanicsville, V.A. (Hanover), and two six-foot-four post-players Jasmine Spence/Midlothian, V.A. (Amelia Academy) and Heather Tobek/La Porte, Texas (La Porte).
"With the addition of this freshmen class, we're bigger than we've ever been," Caruso stated. "I also think one of our biggest strengths will be quickness."
Caruso continued to express the difficulties in knowing what your going to get from a team with a lot of question marks. With a youthful team full of new additions, figuring out all the important roles and trying to implement them into practice is a definite challenge for any coach to tackle.
"We're definitely going to be a different team than ever before," Caruso said. "We encourage everyone to come out and support us because our athleticism will offer a much more fast-paced, exciting style of basketball."
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