Click here for a photo album of Mary Beth Spirk's 500th career victory.
MADISON, N.J. – Moravian College head women's basketball coach Mary Beth Spirk has celebrated a number of memorable victories during her 27-year career in Bethlehem, but this one will never be forgotten.
The Greyhounds (13-2) defeated Drew University 58-44 in a Landmark Conference road game on Wednesday night to give Spirk her 500th career win, making the veteran head coach just the 21st women's coach in NCAA Division III history to reach the milestone.
"It's a little overwhelming," Spirk said. "All day I was a little uptight, and I didn't know why because I've coached over 700 games. Most of all, I feel really proud of the program and seeing my assistants who have come through the program celebrate with me tonight. It was amazing that this program as evolved to the point where people are driving from all over to see this game."
Senior point guard Katie O'Rourke led all scorers in the victory with 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting, and added six rebounds to help her coach join the 500-Win Club and keep the Greyhounds perfect at 4-0 in the Landmark Conference.
"It was a really great moment for all of us," O'Rourke said. "She's been an amazing mentor and a great coach. We haven't had our name on many championships, which is something we're trying to change, but it's really nice to be part of something so special for Coach Spirk."
The Rangers (8-6, 1-2 Landmark) had the upper hand early, getting out to a 14-9 lead on a 6-0 run with 12:47 remaining in the first half.
"I was a little nervous during pregame because the kids were so excited and so pumped," Spirk said. "I tried to warn them at practice that the most important thing was getting win No. 13 of the season. We came out a little tight, missed some shots and threw the ball away. Drew is a tough team, but we relaxed in the second half and played better defense."
The turnaround came three minutes later, when senior forward Laura Jordan converted a layup for the 15-14 advantage, a lead Moravian would not relinquish for the rest of the night.
Senior guard Alyssa Hann tossed in 10 points, while senior forward Ericka Blair added eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds to help the Hounds win the rebounding battle 44-41 on Wednesday.
The Greyhounds took a slim 28-27 lead into halftime after Drew closed out the opening 20 minutes with a three-pointer.
Spirk had her squad fired up in the second half as the Greyhounds came out on an 8-0 run to take a 36-27 lead with 15 minutes to play. Sophomore swing Alesha Marcks stretched the lead to double-digits two minutes later with two of her seven points. Senior guard Danielle Brogan netted seven points and grabbed seven rebounds in the victory.
O'Rourke took over the game late in the second half, scoring six straight points to give the Greyhounds a 54-39 lead with four minutes left in the game.
"We were all really jumpy in the first half, we could feel it," said O'Rourke, who took pride in the vast traveling fan club in attendance on Wednesday in New Jersey. "In the second half, we focused on the task at hand and doing what Coach told us. I needed to take it to the basket more, and I was able to do that. That's what I'm good at and it was a good game to pull it off. It was amazing to see the following we had tonight in New Jersey. It just shows how important she is to Moravian and the greater community, and how much of an impact she has had."
Spirk makes Moravian College just the seventh school in Division III to have two 500-win coaches on staff, as she joins head softball coach John Byrne, who has 646 career wins.
Moravian returns to Landmark Conference action on Saturday, Jan. 18 when they visit The Catholic University of America in a 6 p.m. tipoff.
