After losing to Canisius by 21 on Monday, the women’s basketball will try to put forth a better showing for its home crowd tomorrow, when it faces Drexel (1-2) at 4:00. Both teams come into the game with a very similar opening to their respective seasons. After winning their openers, the squads have lost a combined five in a row, with Cornell’s streak reaching three.
Despite the losing skid, the Red has to be excited about some of its young players, especially freshman guard Lindsay Krasna. After breaking out with a 20-point, eight-rebound and four-assist performance against Bucknell, Krasna was named Ivy League rookie of the week. She is the first Cornell freshman to score at least 20 points in a game since Do Stevens ’02 and Breean Walas ’02 both achieved the feat in the 1998-99 season.
“Lindsay has been terrific,” said head coach Dayna Smith. “She had two great back-to-back games where she has been very aggressive on offense, but most importantly, she is doing the little things. It is going to take some time, but she is definitely starting to pick it up.”
Through four games this season, Krasna is averaging 11.8 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest, numbers that are likely to improve with experience and increased playing time. In her last two games, she has scored 20 and 14 points, respectively.
Along with Krasna, sophomores Amy Lyon and Claire Perry have been consistent contributors this season. Against Canisius, Lyon posted her first double-double as a member of the Red, with 10 points and 10 boards. Perry added seven points and six rebounds.
“Amy and Claire can definitely put the ball in the basket when they get the opportunity to play,” Smith said.
The Dragons are led by senior guard Katrina Martin, who posted 26 points — one shy of her career high — and 11 rebounds in a two-point loss to St. Peter’s.
Martin carried the team the entire game, scoring 10 of the team’s 25 first-half points, and adding 16 after the break. Even though Drexel was behind when the final buzzer sounded, Martin grabbed two offensive rebounds in the last two seconds of the game. However, she was unable to get off a clean shot to force overtime.
“Katrina Martin is extremely athletic,” Smith said. “She is extremely explosive and she does a great job on the boards. We are going to have to know where she is on the floor at all times.”
Martin has upped her scoring average from 12.8 a year ago to 18 this season. Even if the Red can slow down Martin, Drexel has a legitimate second option in junior forward Catherine Scanlon. In a loss against La Salle last Sunday, Scanlon scored a team-high 21 points — two shy of her career high.
“Scanlon is a great post player, but she can also step outside and shoot the three,” Smith said.
Shutting both scorers down is a task much easier said than done. Since the Red has not played the Dragons in recent years, it has no experience in stopping their offensive attack.
“[Drexel] will fight to the end of the game,” Smith said. “They are not going to quit for 40 minutes.”
Archived article by Bryan Pepper
Sun Staff Writer