By Dillon Flanigan
Sports Editor
With the first-round bye in the NE10 Conference Tournament, the Owls defeated the Pace University Setters on Sunday, March 2 68-61 in the quarterfinals.
“At the end of the day, everyone’s 0-0, and we have to be prepared for that we’ve talked about bringing our A plus game, because everyone else is bringing their A plus game too,” Head Coach Kate Lynch said. “I’m really proud of our effort. Everyone went in there and made a huge impact for us.”
Before looking towards the Bentley University Falcons in the semifinals, the Owls had the Setters in the way. They fell behind and clawed their way back, to a 31-29 deficit at the break.
There were 42 fouls called in the game, and non-calls were plaguing. Some of the more blatant ones were even more frustrating given a non-call on guard Delaney Haines, a senior, who shot a three-pointer as the shot clock expired was right in front of an official.
“I can be upset all I want, but we shouldn’t be in low shot clock situations, that was on us. So can’t blame anybody else but ourselves,” Lynch said. “That’s really a hard call for an official to make. When we’re 30 feet from the basket, we shouldn’t be in that position. So that’s on us.”
As a Setter collided with Haines as she attempted to shoot a three, animated on the floor, Lynch does not blame the officials who like Haines, carry the burden for putting the officials in a position to make a call like that.
“It’s frustrating, I’m obviously trying to draw a foul, I’m doing whatever; throwing my body to the ground, throwing my body into another player, just to get the shot off,” Haines said. “That’s just how it’s going to be. You’re not going to get every call. So, I think it’s just how you react to it that matters.”
Haines was happy about the preparation and outcome given that this was their third meeting in two months. She finished with 20 points, where she played all 40 minutes, even going on to say that she was ready to play another 40 if needed.
In a rut and not lighting up box score, though scoring 20 and a reliable fallback option, the Owls were all a rock in a hard place. With guard Lyzi Litwinko, a graduate, carrying three fouls in the first half, Lynch turned to guard Ally Sentance, a junior, who’s turn it was to provide the spark in the second half.
“We love coming off the bench and being that spark, coach says it all the time. Some games it’s her, some games it’s me, some games it’s both of us, which is even better,” Sentance said. “In those instances, when it’s one or the other, it’s never a battle of who gets to do it. It’s just a really supportive environment from her and then also just from the whole team.”
Sentance ended with three assists and five rebounds in 28 minutes off the bench. Though scoring only eight points, she hit two three pointers at crucial points in the game that was capped by a steal in transition.
“My job isn’t to score 20 points, and I know that my job is to go in there, play defense make it hard for them and then when I’m playing defense get those steals,” Sentance said. “People are so worried about Delaney, which is great because she scores so many points. I just have to be ready in those spots when she hits me, and I have to reward her for that.”
In the second quarter Hope Fox attempted a jumper, only to be fouled. She was down briefly favoring her ankle. She was replaced at the line by forward Rheyna Steinauer, a junior. Fox returned favoring her leg throughout the game as Lynch sent her back on the court shorty after being checked by assistant athletic trainer Deanna Laubach.
“If Hope Fox says she’s good, she’s good,” Lynch said.
