Second Seeded Hounds to Host Catholic in Landmark Semifinals on February 24
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College women's basketball team has earned the second seed in the 2016 Landmark Conference Tournament and will host third seed The Catholic University of America in a semifinal game on Wednesday, February 24 tipping off at 7:00 p.m. in Johnston Hall.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The Moravian College women's basketball team has earned the second seed in the 2016 Landmark Conference Tournament and will host third seed The Catholic University of America in a semifinal game on Wednesday, February 24 tipping off at 7:00 p.m. in Johnston Hall.
Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children. All youth under the age of 10 are admitted free as are all students, faculty and staff with a valid ID from any of the nine Landmark Conference institutions. College students without a Landmark school ID and seniors are $3.
The Greyhounds are 19-6 overall this season and finished the Landmark regular season with a 12-4 mark while the Cardinals are 16-9 overall and were 11-5 in Landmark action. During the regular season, each team won on its home court with Moravian picking up an 81-67 victory in Johnston Hall on December 5 and Catholic posting an 85-80 win in Washington, D.C. on January 30.
Wednesday's other semifinal game has top seed The University of Scranton hosting fourth seed Susquehanna University at 7:00 p.m. The top remaining seed will host the 2016 Landmark Conference title game on Saturday, February 27 at a time to be announced with an automatic berth to the 2016 NCAA Division III Tournament on the line.
Moravian Head Coach Mary Beth Spirk has the Greyhounds heading to the postseason for the 15th straight season, and for the 26th time in her 29 seasons leading the Moravian program. The Greyhounds are making their eighth Landmark Conference Tournament appearance after missing out last winter on a tiebreaker for the first time in the history of the conference. Spirk has a career record of 541-256 and is looking to lead the Greyhounds to their fourth conference title that would go with a Landmark championship in 2010 and Middle Atlantic Conference titles in 1991 and 1992. Spirk has led Moravian to the NCAA Division III Tournament eight times in her tenure including the NCAA Division III National Championship game in 1992.
On the court this season, junior forward Camille McPherson is leading a trio of Greyhounds in double figures at 14.0 points per game. McPherson also has a team high 34 three-pointers to go with an average of 5.4 rebounds per contest, 31 assists, 11 steals and four blocked shots. McPherson is one of six Hounds shooting over 80 percent from the foul line at 83.5 percent (81-of-97).
Graduate student forward Alexis Wright is averaging a double-double for Moravian at 13.4 points and 11.5 rebounds per contest, and Wright also has a team-high 68 blocked shots. She has added 47 assists and 36 steals while posting 15 double-doubles in 25 games. In her career of 118 games for the Greyhounds, Wright owns the school record with 1,235 rebounds, and she is third in scoring with 1,676 points, second in blocked shots with 272 and seventh in steals with 207.
Senior forward Alesha Marcks is also netting double figures for the Blue and Grey at 11.4 points per contest, and Marcks tops the squad at the foul line at 85.5 percent (65-of-76). She is second on the team on the boards, pulling down 7.8 rebounds per game, and Marcks also has 45 assists, 33 steals and 24 blocked shots. She joined Wright in the 1,000-point club and sits 18th in school history with 1,106 points, and Marcks is 12th in rebounds with 621, and seventh in blocked shots with 105 in 109 games.
Junior guard Morgan Calabrese is contributing 8.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game for the Greyhounds to go along with 52 assists, 14 steals and 26 three-pointers while sophomore forward Trista Cunningham has averages of 6.0 points and 2.5 rebounds per contest with 11 assists, 11 blocked shots and seven steals. Freshman guard Maggie Melhem is scoring 5.6 points per contest in her debut collegiate season, and Melhem has also added 53 rebounds, a team-high 45 steals, 16 three-pointers and 12 blocked shots.
Senior guard Samantha Caligiuri eads the Greyhounds with 69 assists, and she has added 34 steals, 40 rebounds and nine three-pointers while scoring 5.4 points per game. Senior guard Karine Polgar is netting 5.0 points per contest with 61 rebounds, 37 assists, 31 steals, 23 blocked shots and 15 three-pointers this winter while senior guard Emily MacDonnell has 65 points, 38 assists, 29 boards, 13 steals and 13 three-pointers.
Sophomore guard Taylor Freeman has 31 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and four steals for the Hounds this year while senior guard Marie Rossignoli has added 30 points, 21 rebounds and four blocked shots. Senior forward Karlee Corvasce has contributed 23 points, 23 rebounds and six blocked shots while freshman forward Kaitlyn Roberto has 15 points and 19 boards. Sophomore guard Victoria McCaslin has 13 points and nine rebounds while sophomore forward Jen Cella has added 10 blocked shots, 16 rebounds, four assists and four points. Freshman guard Kaeli White has six points, eight rebounds and three assists in her debut season while freshman forward Caitlin Flanagan has five rebounds and two points for the Greyhounds.
Coach Spirk has the Greyhounds aiming for their 18th 20-win season in Wednesday's Landmark Conference Semifinal game.
