Improvement is name of the game

By Margo Consul

The women's basketball program looks strong in the early season. With a young bunch coming in and veterans looking to redeem themselves from last season, the Broncos have the right motivation. The team knows what they need to do to improve before the season comes into full bloom.

"We are going to look at films so everybody gets the rotations because we have been talking about rotations all week," senior forward Maggie Goldenberger said. "We hope to win ball games, more games than last year and just improving everyday is our main goal, and being a defensive presence and defensive rebounding having that be our pillars."

Added senior Kimee Goeggel, "Improve, work hard everyday and just really surprise people that we can work hard and outwork people. I think we'll be okay. Defensive minded, that is where we are going to win games. Rebounding and just out-working people."

Last season, the team finished with a disappointing overall record of 4-27 and West Coast Conference record of 1-11. Opponents outscored Santa Clara by 10 points on average, and Santa Clara averaged 1.9 blocks while their opponents averaged 3.3.

Defense is perhaps the team's most critical area for improvement.

"We've got a lot of work to do on the defensive end," Head Coach Jennifer Mountain said following the team's 73-43 victory over Sonoma State last Saturday. "Just going to have to get back to fundamentals and teach them some different rotations and stuff, but we've got to get better in the next week and a half,"

Mountain will be looking to her young squad to contribute this season, as seven of the 16 members of the roster are incoming freshman.

"I expect them to come in and play meaningful minutes," Mountain said. "It's going to be the combination of everybody working together depending on a small role to get it done."

The veterans are looking forward to the fresh faces joining them on the court as well.

"It's fun, it's interesting and it's a new thing so we just have to get everybody on the same page. That's going to take a little while to get everybody thinking the same way," said Goldenberger.

Santa Clara took on the Cal State Monterey Bay Otters in their season opening exhibition game on Nov. 3. The Broncos came out on top by a score of 78-59. Lena Gipson scored a game-high 21 points, and sophomore guard Alyssa Shoji contributed with five three-pointers.

"I thought we did well," Goldenberger said. "We offensively improved during the game. I thought we did a better job of moving the ball around. Defensively it was kind of lacking."

Last Saturday, the Broncos held the Seawolves to a 31 percent shooting percentage with Gipson, Shoji. and Goldenberger each contributing 12 points in the win. Of the incoming freshman, Mountain did point out a few to watch for.

"I think Meagan Fulps is somebody to really pay attention to. She is coming off of an injury but played for the first time tonight. I think Ashley Armstrong and Telisha Anderson will come in and do a decent job for us and play some meaningful minutes. But it's going to be a combination of all of them."

Fulps, Armstrong and Anderson have all seen action in both of the opening matches. In regards to her first regular season game, Fulps, a 5'7" guard from Littleton, Colo., has one field goal and four rebounds. Armstrong, a 5'11" guard from Reno, Nev., has three field goals and six rebounds and Anderson, a 5'6" guard from Stanton, Calif., has two field goals and seven rebounds.

The Broncos will be playing in the Iowa State tournament this coming weekend. Mountain sees this as one of the first chances to see how the team is coming together.

"The tournament itself has some remarkable teams," Mountain said. "I'm just kind of taking it one day at a time focusing on us going to the Iowa tournament. The next five games are really top-25 programs."

Contact Margo Consul at mconsul@scu.edu or (408) 551-1918.