“The big reason we were so successful last year is because of work ethic,” said senior wing Katherine Hueter, the team’s top returning scorer at 10.3 points per game. “We surprised a lot of people and ourselves with how successful you can be with hard work and dedication.
“We did more than we’ve ever done before in terms of strength and conditioning and even shooting. We were coming in during the game and shooting. That just snowballed into great success. That’s what we’ve tried to stress this season.”
Many of the players got extra work together in a summer league at Otterbein. When they weren’t playing there, they were working out at Wittenberg.
“We stayed here this summer, along with some of our other teammates,” sophomore post Sarah Watson said. “It’s easy as long as your teammates are there holding you accountable to actually get in the gym and get up your shots.”
Hueter and Watson are the team’s two returning starters. Last year’s top scorers, Stephanie Boardman and Carrie Dyer, and a third starter, Elise Jenkins, graduated.
Stepping into the starting lineup this year are junior forward Lyndsey Clark, a Tecumseh graduate who has played mostly on the reserve team the last two seasons, and freshman point guard Jaclyn Willoughby. Junior wing Lauren Cassel or sophomore post Kim Replogle will take the other starting job, coach Sarah Jurewicz said, depending on whether she’s seeking a faster or bigger lineup.
Other players the Tigers will count on this season are sophomore wing Aimee Carpenter, sophomore forward Ashanta Robinson, of Yellow Springs, and freshman post Cassie Whitley, of Xenia.
“It’s definitely going to be a team that’s going to see a lot of ups and downs because we’re so young,” said Jurewicz, now in her fourth season. “We have plenty of talent. We just need to get used to one another and find that connection and cohesiveness. It’s a matter of working through those times when we just can’t seem to find the right connections.”
About the Author
