For Immediate Release:
Jan. 24, 2007

RICHMOND, Ind. — A difficult first half was too much for the Earlham College women’s basketball team to overcome on Wednesday as the Quakers lost 57-39 to North Coast Athletic Conference leader Denison University on Schuckman Court in the Athletics and Wellness Center.

Denison has won 12 straight this season and is 16-3 overall and 10-0 in the NCAC. “Denison is a very good team and they are undefeated in our conference,” Earlham Head Coach Liana Coutts said. “They have a lot of different weapons and a lot of depth. They really had the advantage on us in the first half and we sort of put our heads down.”

The Big Red built a 30-13 advantage by halftime. “The great thing was how we responded in the second half,” Coutts said. “We came out and fought and we outplayed them in the second half,”

Denison led 44-22 at 14:29 of the second period, but Coutts was pleased that the Quakers kept fighting. “Whitney McBurrows was the only person we put on the floor that has three years experience,” she said. “I can’t give our young people enough credit for how they responded in the second half.”

Sophomore Tasha Merrill (Cedar Grove, IN/Franklin County) led the Quakers with nine points, while junior Whitney McBurrows (Lansing, MI/J.W. Sexton) added eight points.

Junior Lisa Vanderkolk (Bluffton, IN/Bluffton) and first-year Shontavia Davis (Indianapolis, IN/Warren Central) tossed in seven points each, while first-year Starr Gary (Indianapolis, IN/Northwest) led the Quakers with seven rebounds.

Earlham (3-15, 2-7) plays Wooster at home on Saturday. The NCAC game starts at 1 p.m.
Box Score.

—EC —

Contact:
Don Tincher, sports information director
765/983-1795 — E-Mail Don