CC Championship Website | Game Notes

GETTYSBURG, Pa. – The Gettysburg College women's basketball team overcame all the hype leading into the 2010-11 season to once again establish itself as a title contender in the Centennial Conference.

Gettysburg (19-6, 14-6 CC) will shoot for its first conference title this weekend (Feb. 26) when the third-seeded Bullets meet No. 2 Muhlenberg College (19-5, 16-4 CC) in Saturday's first semifinal at 1 p.m. inside Johns Hopkins University's Goldfarb Gym.

Getting to this point in the season wasn't easy for the Orange and Blue as the team was targeted with lots of preseason attention following the squad's outstanding 2009-10 campaign, when it went 24-5 overall and advanced to the “Sweet 16” of the NCAA Division III Tournament.

The Bullets received national rankings from both D3hoops.com and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association, in addition to earning the top spot in the conference preseason poll.

“Last year was last year,” noted Head Coach Mike Kirkpatrick in the season preview. “That has nothing at all to do with this year. If we do get recognized before the season starts, that's a reward for last year's success. We haven't earned anything this year.”

The preseason hype may have affected Gettysburg early as the team struggled to a 4-3 record through December. But the tide turned with the onset of the New Year as the team going 15-3 and finishing third in the conference regular-season standings.

“Our confidence is pretty high right now,” said Kirkpatrick. “Our players think that we're one of the teams to beat because we're playing decent basketball. We think we have a good shot.”

Gettysburg and Muhlenberg have been at the core of some great battles on the court over the last several years. The teams have split the season series in three of the last four years, including this year with each team winning on its home court. The last time they met on neutral ground as they do this weekend at Johns Hopkins, the Mules defeated the Bullets 80-65 victory in the finals of the 2008 conference tournament hosted by Franklin & Marshall College.

“They are a very good team,” noted Kirkpatrick. “They have good post play, good shooting, and good ball handling. We think we have the match ups to make it a real interesting game.”

Gettysburg's match ups center around its top-three players: senior Caitlin Moser (Wyomissing, Pa./Wyomissing) and juniors Julie McGrory (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown) and Sara Kinsley (Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe). Over the last two weeks of the season, the trio combined for over 71 percent of the team's scoring offense.

Moser, in particular, has thrived in the postseason during her career. In seven playoff games, the senior has averaged 21.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. She tallied a school postseason-record 34 points against Farmingdale State College in the opening game of the NCAA Tournament last season, and she put up 30 against Muhlenberg in the 2008 CC finals.

“Caitlin is a competitor above all else,” said Kirkpatrick. “When you put her in a situation where she gets to be a competitor, she smiles and excels. We've had some injuries and illnesses over the last couple weeks, and she's helped pick up the slack. I expect her to play hard like she always does and succeed like she always does.”

McGrory and Kinsley have emerged as team leaders in their own capacities this season. McGrory was tabbed All-CC First Team after putting up 13.7 points per game during the regular season, while Kinsley has averaged just under double figures through the year and leads the conference in blocked shots with 50.

With teams focused on the big three, Gettysburg's role players have the potential to thrive. Senior Mary Spicer (Floral Park, N.Y./Sacred Heart Academy) has continued to lead the team on the break and ranks among the conference leaders with almost three assists per game. Junior Lauren Dadigan (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley), sophomore Alyssa Oursler (Middletown, Md./Middletown), and freshman Katie Earley (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Trinity) have held down starting spots throughout the campaign. That trio is also arguably coming off its best game of the season as each player netted double figures against McDaniel College in the regular-season finale.

No one, two, or three players will lead Gettysburg to victory in any scenario. It takes a whole team to succeed and Kirkpatrick has maintained that mantra throughout the year.

“We have to be very sound defensively and not give up easy buckets. We have to establish our tempo of play and not be thrust into the other team's pace. I think if we maintain our pace offensively and do a good job defensively, I think we have a good shot at being there at the end.”