NCAA News Archive - 2001

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Bears are dominant in capturing fourth straight basketball crown


Mar 26, 2001 11:10:45 AM


The NCAA News

Tasha Rodgers proved her mettle as Division III Player of the Year with career highs of 36 points and 13 rebounds to lead Washington (Missouri) to its fourth consecutive Division III Women's Basketball Championship with a 67-45 win over Messiah March 17 in Danbury, Connecticut.

The Bears have been on a record-breaking streak during Rodgers' career, including a skein of 20 straight tournament victories. Division II's North Dakota State is the only other women's basketball team to have won four straight titles.

Despite losing three-time Division III Player of the Year Alia Fischer to graduation last year, and suffering the end of its 81-game winning streak earlier this season, the Bears were able to return to the title.

In the championship game, Messiah took a 7-6 lead in the opening minutes before Washington went on a 10-0 run for the lead it would not relinquish. Rodgers scored 18 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the opening half to give the Bears a 33-18 edge at the break.

Messiah opened the second half with a 10-3 run and cut the lead to 40-35 with 12:05 remaining in the game. Three steals by Rodgers and a string of 16 unanswered points by Washington put the game out of reach.

Jennifer Rudis added 15 points for the Bears. Amy Hitz was the leading scorer for Messiah with 10 points.

In the third-place game, Ohio Wesleyan defeated Emmanuel, 70-64, behind Katy Sturtz's 23 points.

Washington advanced to the championship game with a 78-62 win over Emmanuel, and Messiah defeated Ohio Wesleyan, 70-57, in the March 16 semifinal games.

Rodgers was named the tournament's most outstanding player for the third straight year. Rudis, Hitz, Sturtz and Emmanuel's Brianne Bognanno were also named to the all-tournament team.

Championship summary

Sectionals: New York U. 64, Bowdoin 60; Emmanuel 87, Cortland St. 70; Emmanuel 74, New York U. 70 (ot); Wartburg 82, Fontbonne 78; Washington (Mo.) 65, St. Thomas (Minn.) 58; Washington (Mo.) 83, Wartburg 71; Col. of New Jersey 68, Elizabethtown 45; Messiah 97, Marymount (Va.) 86 (2 ot); Messiah 72, Col. of New Jersey 61; Ohio Wesleyan 71, Centre 64; Baldwin-Wallace 78, Hardin-Simmons 71; Ohio Wesleyan 66, Baldwin-Wallace 64.

SEMIFINALS

Washington (Mo.) 78, Emmanuel 62

Washington (Mo.): Kjersten Kramer 0-3, 0-0, 0, 0; Sara Ettner 3-10, 6-7, 3, 13; Rachael Krakoff 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Susan Hay 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Kristi Eller 1-4, 0-0, 2, 3; Lendy Stuber 0-0, 0-0, 2, 0; Lindsey Merrill 2-8, 0-0, 2, 5; Jennifer Rudis 3-4, 0-1, 8, 6; Robin Lahargoue 8-14, 4-4, 5, 20; Leslie Hawley 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Meg Sullivan 2-3, 1-2, 2, 7; Suzy Digby 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Monika Matthews 0-1, 0-0, 1, 0; Tasha Rodgers 9-13, 6-8, 4, 24; Kirsten Klevan 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 28-60, 17-22, 33 (4 team), 78.

Emmanuel: Jessica Sylvia 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0; Vickie Shalian 0-3, 0-0, 3, 0; Nessie Parham 2-4, 3-4, 1, 7; Marcy Tillman 7-15, 5-5, 0, 23; Katie Corey 0-1, 0-0, 1, 0; Mary Taylor 0-0, 0-0, 3, 0; Brianne Bognanno 7-16, 1-2, 5, 18; Julia Demirer 3-6, 2-4, 6, 8; Lon Tega Morris 0-2, 0-0, 7, 0; Melanie Sloan 3-5, 0-0, 2, 6. TOTALS: 22-52, 11-15, 33 (4 team), 62.

Halftime: Washington (Mo.) 40, Emmanuel 32. Three-point field goals: Washington (Mo.) 5-11 (Kramer 0-1, Ettner 1-3, Eller 1-3, Merrill 1-1, Sullivan 2-3); Emmanuel 7-18 (Shalian 0-1, Tillman 4-10, Corey 0-1, Bognanno 3-6). Disqualifications: Parham.

Messiah 70, Ohio Wesleyan 57

Messiah: Amie Kretzing 3-11, 10-12, 3, 17; Erin Wedemeyer 0-1, 0-0, 2, 0; Amy Hitz 7-12, 1-1, 15, 15; Jess Mulberger 3-8, 1-2, 12, 7; Christina Vouriotis 7-14, 4-4, 5, 19; Amy Murray 1-1, 0-0, 0, 2; Kate Butler 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0; Melissa Ehst 3-3, 2-2, 2, 10; Leanne Brofee 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Becka Moody 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Heidi Marks 0-1, 0-0, 0, 0; Jess Unick 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Anna Feeney 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 24-51, 18-21, 43 (3 team), 70.

Ohio Wesleyan: Leslie Welsh 5-8, 0-0, 3, 10; Elizabeth Edinger 1-2, 0-0, 0, 2; Anissa Haynes 4-11, 0-0, 5, 8; Katy Sturtz 7-11, 2-4, 7, 16; Jessica Viertlboeck 2-15, 4-4, 3, 8; Talia Brader 0-4, 0-0, 3, 0; Michelle Wolfe 3-12, 2-2, 9, 10; Jaime Dann 0-1, 3-4, 0, 3. TOTALS: 22-64, 11-14, 30, 57.

Halftime: Messiah 34, Ohio Wesleyan 29. Three-point field goals: Ohio Wesleyan 2-16 (Welsh 0-1, Viertlboeck 0-5, Brader 0-3, Wolfe 2-6, Dann 0-1); Messiah 4-6 (Kretzing 1-2, Mulberger 0-1, Vouriotis 1-1, Ehst 2-2). Disqualifications: none.

THIRD-PLACE GAME

Ohio Wesleyan 70, Emmanuel 64

Emmanuel: Brianne Bognanno 4-13, 1-2, 6, 10; Mary Taylor 0-2, 0-0, 0, 0; Lon Tega Morris 1-1, 0-0, 0, 2; Marcy Tillman 1-11, 1-2, 2, 4; Vickie Shalian 1-6, 0-0, 2, 2; Melanie Sloan 8-12, 4-5, 11, 20; Nessie Parham 0-6, 2-2, 4, 2; Julia Demirer 3-8, 2-2, 5, 8; Katie Corey 4-9, 4-5, 5, 12; Jessica Sylvia 1-2, 0-0, 0, 2; Becky Turco 1-3, 0-0, 5, 2; Tricia Perras 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 24-73, 14-18, 41 (1 team), 64.

Ohio Wesleyan: Katy Sturtz 11-19, 1-3, 16, 23; Jessica Viertlboeck 4-10, 7-9, 9, 15; Anissa Haynes 4-7, 0-2, 5, 8; Elizabeth Edinger 0-2, 1-2, 1, 1; Leslie Welsh 6-14, 4-4, 8, 17; Talia Brader 0-1, 2-2, 0, 2; Michelle Wolfe 1-3, 0-0, 1, 2; Kristin Thompson 1-2, 0-0, 3, 2; Jaime Dann 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Jodi Huck 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 27-58, 15-22, 47 (4 team), 70.

Halftime: Emmanuel 34, Ohio Wesleyan 34. Three-point field goals: Emmanuel 2-14 (Bognanno 1-3, Tillman 1-8, Shalian 0-1, Parham 0-1, Corey 0-1); Ohio Wesleyan 1-10 (Viertlboeck 0-3, Edinger 0-1, Welsh 1-3, Brader 0-1, Wolfe 0-2). Disqualifications: Corey.

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Washington (Mo.) 67, Messiah 45

Washington (Mo.): Jennifer Rudis 7-12, 1-4, 5, 15; Tasha Rodgers 15-26, 6-8, 13, 36; Lindsey Merrill 1-8, 0-0, 5, 2; Kjersten Kramer 0-0, 0-0, 2, 0; Sara Ettner 0-4, 0-0, 7, 0; Kristi Eller 1-3, 0-0, 2, 3; Lendy Stuber 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Robin Lahargoue 1-6, 0-0, 5, 2; Meg Sullivan 3-7, 2-2, 3, 9; Rachel Krakoff 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0; Lesley Hawley 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Suzy Digby 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Kirsten Klevan 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0; Monika Matthews 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. Totals: 28-66, 9-14, 45 (2 team), 67.

Messiah: Jess Mulberger 2-6, 0-0, 5, 4; Christina Vouriotis 1-7, 2-2, 4, 4; Amy Hitz 5-8, 0-0, 9, 10; Amie Kretzing 2-7, 2-2, 1, 7; Erin Wedemeyer 4-7, 0-0, 2, 9; Leanne Brofee 1-2, 0-0, 0, 2; Melissa Ehst 0-9, 1-4, 4, 1; Amy Murray 0-0, 0-0, 1, 0; Kate Butler 0-0, 0-0, 2, 0; Heidi Marks 0-3, 0-0, 1, 0; Jess Unick 0-1, 6-6, 3, 6; Becka Moody 1-2, 0-0, 0, 2; Anna Feeney 0-0, 0-0, 0, 0. TOTALS: 16-52, 11-14, 34 (2 team), 45.

Halftime: Washington (Mo.) 33, Messiah 18. Three-point field goals: Washington (Mo.) 2-8 (Merrill 0-1, Ettner 0-3, Eller 1-3, Sullivan 1-1); Messiah 2-12 (Jess Mulberger 0-2, Kretzing 1-3, Wedemeyer 1-2, Ehst 0-5). Disqualification: none.


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