Jan. 31, 2005

Mobile Out-Duels Lady Badgers

By TOMMY HICKS
Sports Reporter - Mobile Register

Spring Hill coach Terry Fowler said he and University of Mobile coach Martha Gore-Algernon have always agreed if the Lady Rams' post game and the Lady Badgers' perimeter game were combined they'd have a national championship caliber team.

The forces met at Mobile's Pharr Gymnasium Monday night in the first meeting between the rivals and the inside game bested the outside game, the Lady Rams collecting an 87-71 Gulf Coast Athletic Conference victory.

Mobile, ranked No. 16 in the NAIA top 25 poll, used the strength of Kinga Rybarczyk and Crystal Coston in the post to fashion the win. Rybarczyk scored 29 points (11 of 13 from the floor) and grabbed eight rebounds, while Coston scored 16 points and pulled down 17 rebounds.

" We knew they were going to double- and triple-team us inside and Kinga picked up the slack for us," Gore-Algrernon said.

Mobile also received solid play off the bench, getting 30 points from non-starters. Laura Davis and Courtney Craft were the biggest contributors off the bench, especially down the stretch in the second half when Spring Hill had closed Mobile's lead to just six points.

The Lady Badgers, although trailing by 10 or more points at various times in the game, always made a run at Mobile's lead. After cutting the lead to six, 67-60, with 4:59 to play, the Lady Rams answered again with a 6-point run and Spring Hill was unable to answer.

" We spent so much energy getting back in it we just ran out of gas there," Fowler said. "When they made that 6-point run we had to shoot threes and we were getting one shot and done."

Rebounding was another factor that enabled Mobile to maintain control of the game. The Lady Rams outrebounded Spring Hill 52-36. The Lady Badgers managed just 13 offensive rebounds.

The win gives Mobile a 17-4 overall record and 8-1 mark in the GCAC, leaving the Lady Rams in sole possession of second place. A loss would have knotted the two teams in second. Spring Hill fell to 15-7 and 6-3.

" This was a huge win," Gore-Algernon said, adding its importance had as much emphasis on the conference race as it did on the rivalry. "It keeps us in second place alone and keeps our ranking and that's important."

Spring Hill was led by Maria Rodriguez, who had 18 points, with Erin Houy scoring 10.

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