W. Basketball Shooting to Snap Two-Game Skid

After an inauspicious opening weekend, the Columbia women’s basketball team (0-2, 0-0 Ivy) will look for its first victory tonight as it faces the University of Hartford (1-1, 0-0 America East) in Connecticut.

The Lions, who start more underclassmen than seniors, are hoping to bring stability to the court with their balance of young and veteran players. While it will take some time for the team’s chemistry to develop, head coach Paul Nixon is optimistic about the players’ interactions with each other.

“I think they’re definitely starting to mesh well together,” he said. “They’re starting to learn each other’s tendencies on the court.”

Freshman center Lauren Dwyer, who led the Light Blue with 20 points against Wagner, may get the start tonight, as sophomore forward Chelsea Frazier hurt her foot during a practice this week. Frazier, who was scheduled to see a doctor yesterday, did not play in the final two games of the 2006-2007 season due to a similar injury.

“It was a non-impact injury,” Nixon said. “She just kind of came down on it wrong.”

Dwyer is not the only freshman who has made an impact this season, as Nixon expects guard Kathleen Roehrkasse to be a force off the bench against the Hawks. Roehrkasse has scored nine points this season and has gone four for nine from the field. She is also credited with two rebounds, a steal, and an assist.

“She’s done some positive things in her first two games,” he said. “I would expect her to see good playing time against Hartford this weekend.”

Tonight’s game will be a homecoming for senior guard Brittney Carfora, who hails from Branford, Conn.. The top three-point shooter in the nation last season, Carfora will certainly look to make major contributions to the Lions’ efforts tonight. Nixon believes that she will help the offense from more places than beyond the arc.

“Last season was last season,” he said. “She’s a different player now. I feel like she’s more well-rounded in terms of her ability to score in a variety of ways.”

Hartford will look to its post players on both ends of the court to lead the team to victory. The Hawks will fight fire with fire, as they have a potent offense of their own; senior forward Danielle Hood leads Hartford with 20 points per game, while sophomore forward Diana Delva is averaging 16.5 points. Their team is not lagging defensively, either; Hood and junior guard Lisa Etienne have each grabbed a team-high seven rebounds under their opponents’ baskets, while Delva leads the Hawks with three blocks.

A win on the road would certainly be a confidence booster for the Lions and could propel the team in a positive direction. The Light Blue wants to gather momentum, as the team will head back to New York after tonight’s game for a three-game home stand.

Action begins at 7 p.m. in the Chase Arena at the Reich Family Pavilion.