I just want to start by saying this year will not be in any way a rebuilding effort for the CUA Womens Basketball team. . . . This team may look young on paper, but in no way do i believe this is a "Rebuilding" year. I fully expect this Cardinal team to challenge the best of the Landmark Conference this year.
After seeing them play Mary Washington last night, I still think it is a rebuilding year. That's not a slight, just a description. Linderoth is the experience and the strength. The freshmen are talented but freshmen. The coach has dropped the shoot 3s all night approach and is playing more aggressively and wide open with this bunch. They started 3 frosh and the first 2 off the bench were also freshmen. They played hard but didn't shoot well. There is a good future in store if they stay together for 4 years but this season is rebuilding. I don't know the strength of Landmark, but Catholic would be in the middle of the pack in the CAC.
I still disagree with the rebuilding description. I said that the Lady Cards were not a rebuilding team before we lost another starter, Kate Robinson. Mary Wash is a good team, to an extent. Kristen Linderoth outplayed the All-American, Liz Hickey. In fact, Hickey should have fouled out with 5:00 mins left. The C.A.C. officials gave it to another player, who was behind the foul. We started three freshmen because we have lost starting point guard Justine Gray and starting G/F Kate Robinson to injuries.
I also would like to add the show that MWU puts on after a game is completely disgraceful and disrespectful. The team, instructed by Coach Deena Applebury, joins at mid-court, on top of the Cardinal, and tries to chant their mascot name "Eagles." I'm sure this happens after every game and I am okay with it if they are at HOME in Fredericksburg. You don’t pull that kind of stunt on the road. I do not know Coach Applebury on a personal level and will not pass judgment on her, but if she thinks because she's ranked number one in the nation she can disregard respect and rules she needs to be told differently. Representing the CAC like that on the road will get you alot of enemies and I think she should re-think the ways she celebrates her wins. It’s a shame that she ruined the game with a classless act like that and I think it is unfortunate that these two will probably not play each other for awhile. I wish that CUA will play the Eagles next when MWU is "Rebuilding" so they can show what real respect is. I would like to add that standing up for the CUA name and all it stands for shows the integrity that Coach Carey has in not letting Coach Applebury's team celebrate on the logo. Catholic has 10 freshman and they do not need to see some other team celebrating on their logo.
Finally the point I want to end with is one I stated earlier. Kristen Linderoth out-played UMW's All-Americans and deserves to get recognition for that. Linderoth is a tremendous player and IS an All-American. To battle back from a knee injury and get back to the level of the play was at before the injury (and surpassing that level to the highest play she has showed in two years) is simply remarkable. I hope she gets the recognition in the weeks and months to come.
Good Luck to the Mens and Women Cardinals next week as they both play Villa Julie.
GO CARDS!
