Ali Komar – Senior Staff
The UR Women’s Basketball team is looking forward to a big weekend at home as they take on the New York University Violets and Brandeis University Judges. Both teams will present their share of challenges. But, after looking at the results from their most recent game, it seems that the Jackets thrive under these circumstances.
Taking on challenges and overcoming them as a unit is something in which this team takes great pride.
“Winning games by 20 or 30 points can be fun… but when we come together and pull out a win against a good team, it is exhilarating,” senior sensation Ally Zywicki remarked. If that’s the case, the Jackets certainly had a blast this past Sunday with their big win over Brandeis.
The game was a 50/50 battle all the way down to the final seconds, but the Jackets came together and pulled away with a big win. “We play for each other. That’s the bottom line”, sophomore Sarah Kaminsky said.
What separated the Jackets from their opponent was their ability to dig deep and assert themselves as a force when things weren’t going their way. As Zywicki put it, “When a game gets tough, the team that’s going to win is the one that can come together through adversity.”
The Jackets defeated Brandeis 62-61 in a thrilling game that boiled down to a free throw made by star freshman center Alexandra Leslie with 24 seconds to go in regulation. Leslie sealed the deal with this foul shot along with 16 points and seven rebounds, while a number of other players stepped up throughout the game.
Brynn Lauer contributed 14 points, including four triples; junior forward Emily Lewis had nine points; and sophomore guard Sarah Kaminsky had seven, including a major three-pointer in the final minutes of the game.
Throughout the entire game, the team wide display of defensive grit was outstanding. Brandeis fought for all forty minutes, but the Jackets prevailed.
“Coach always tells us that they’re not going to lose it, you need to beat them.” Lewis continued. “That’s exactly what happened on Sunday.”
This speaks to the level of prestige in the competitive University Athletic Association that the Yellowjackets participate in, but the competition is what makes it all worth it. According to junior guard Kelsey Hurley, the Jackets “love the competition. It’s a huge motivator every day in practice”. If the Jackets continue at this rate, the future for these talented young women will look promising.
Lewis is a member of
the class of 2016.
