The
basketball season for the Lady Vikes came to an end all too soon
this year in the opening round of the Region 19 play-offs. Despite
a 10-point lead at halftime and 37 points contributed by team leader
Patti Foley, the women lost 82-71 to Essex on Feb. 27. The women
ended their season with a 16-14 record.
“It was
a premature ending for sure,” said Head Coach Mike Tenaglia,
who completed his 16th season with the Lady Vikes. Tenaglia achieved
a personal high note on Feb. 2 when he reached his 250th win as
head coach in a 51-47 victory over Gloucester.
According to
Tenaglia, the season was peppered with adversity, including the
loss of several key players due to injuries and second semester
academic ineligibility. “Sometimes, trying your best despite
the obstacles is what sports is all about,” he said.
The women were
clearly disappointed not to repeat as Region 19 champs. “When
you win seven championships in eight years, the expectation is there,”
Tenaglia noted. “But it doesn’t always work out that
way. Our inability to score at key times hurt us.” Still,
Tenaglia is proud of his players’ efforts. “We won –
and lost – a number of games by close margins. That says that
the players were putting everything into it.”
The team’s
indisputable “go to” player was freshman forward Patti
Foley, who averaged 21 points per game and was the sixth leading
scorer in the country. Other players who saw a lot of court time
were: sophomore guard Leslie Maurer, who was the Vikings’
team captain, sophomore forward Kathy Prassas, freshmen guards Christina
Calabrese, Ashley Diggs, Nicole Hover, and Katy Hubbard, and freshman
forward Rosie Fedak. “Some of these players weren’t
expecting to have much opportunity on the court, but in the second
half of the season, they found themselves in the heat of things,”
Tenaglia said.
Despite the
season’s trials, the women formed a solid bond and maintained
good morale. Tenaglia notes that this young squad, made up mostly
of freshmen, has the potential to be very effective next year.
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