Jenfrin Rodriguez
Sports Editor
February 3 saw the Anchorwomen remain undefeated at 4-0 despite an usual game to say the least. While they did win in the end 61-56, there were a lot of things that can not continue to happen as the season progresses. UMass Dartmouth to their credit had a lot of chances all the way until the end but were never able to capitalize on the rough night Rhode Island College found themselves having.
The biggest problem the Anchorwomen had were the fouls all game long. 25 fouls in total kept UMass in position for a possible late game miracle. Sophia Guerrier and Maire Gallagher both fouled out of the games with five fouls. To make matters worse, Brooke Young, Izabelle Booth and Maci Dorantes all had four fouls a piece. This enabled Umass to get more chances at the free throw line. Afraid of committing more fouls, the Anchorwomen were not able to play as aggressive and physical as they wanted to.
If the fouling was the biggest concern, then the shooting was the next concern for the team. For a team as great as the Anchorwomen, it is alarming to see them shoot 6-31 from three or just under 20%. This made an impact on the game in the second half when the Anchorwomen were passing up wide open shots from behind the arc. The team had to work harder for the points they scored, with more focus on driving and attacking the paint rather than settling for jumpshots. Being able to adapt and adjust the game plan to this extent shows how the team can handle others and find ways to win games that can be difficult for lower seeded teams.
In the past, the Anchorwomen have been poor shooters from the free throw line but against Dartmouth it was another story. The Anchorwomen went 7-10 or 70%. Late in the fourth quarter, freshman Ashanti Frazier was able to sink two free throws and officially put the game way.
This game demonstrated how the Anchorwomen are well coached and disciplined. While it could have been easy to pack it up and blame bad officiating for all the fouls or an off day to all the missed shots, the Anchorwomen did not make any excuses for themselves. Ashanti Frazier’s performance and the full rotation of players who can contribute on any given night is an indication of the good work of this team.
With this win over Umass Dartmouth the Rhode Island College Anchorwomen advanced to 4-0 and earned a week off until their next game. The February 6 game against Castleton University has been postponed. Castleton previously lost to the Anchorwomen by 30 points in the season opener but this game will be more competitive. The Anchorwomen will play against Plymouth State on February 13 at home.