Feb. 13, 2008

Complete Notes in PDF Format

THE MATCHUPS: Mercyhurst will travel for two GLIAC games this weekend, facing Findlay Thursday at 6 p.m. and Ashland Saturday at 1 p.m. The Lakers are 5-16 all-time against Findlay, but they have won four of the past five meetings, including an 81-78 win earlier this year. Ashland holds a 20-11 all-time record over the Lakers, including 10 consecutive victories. The Eagles picked up a 76-71 win over Mercyhurst on Jan. 10 of this year.
LAST GAME AGAINST FINDLAY: In a see-saw battle with 20 lead changes and 15 ties, the Mercyhurst women's basketball team pulled out an 81-78 victory over Findlay on Jan. 1 to earn its only GLIAC victory of the season. Four Lakers finished in double figures with Stephanie Prischak leading the way with 23 points, tying her then-career high. With 29 seconds left in the game, Findlay led by one before Paris Pugliese was fouled and finished both of her free throws to give Mercyhurst the advantage. Findlay's Brittany Wells' forced shot was blocked by Amy Achesinski and Prischak brought down the defensive rebound. She was fouled and made both free throws for the final.
LAST GAME AGAINST ASHLAND: Despite shooting 21-for-24 from the free throw line and narrowing a double-digit deficit, the Mercyhurst Lakers suffered a 76-71 loss to the Ashland Eagles on Jan. 10. Amy Achesinski led the Lakers offensively, earning a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. In addition to Achesinski's double-double, Paris Pugliese helped out with 19 points and four rebounds, and Stephanie Prischak added 18 points and seven rebounds. Stevie Spetoskey had 15 points and four rebounds as well.
THE COACHES: Mercyhurst head coach Deanna Richard is in her first season at Mercyhurst, currently posting a 6-18 record. She has a career mark of 67-110, including a record of 61-92 in six seasons at Division III Olivet College. Findlay's Kate Cummings is entering her second season as the head coach of the Oiler women's basketball team. She has posted a 15-34 record at Findlay and an overall 219-178 career record. Prior to taking over at Findlay, she coached Ohio Dominican for 11 seasons. Ashland's Sue Ramsey is 199-159 at Ashland over the past 12 years, and has a 280-278 career record in 20 seasons. Last year, Ramsey coached the Eagles to a 14-13 overall record and 7-10 in the GLIAC.
SCOUTING MERCYHURST: Mercyhurst ranks second in the GLIAC in both field-goal percentage and three-point percentage but the Lakers have been hampered by inconsistencies in rebounding and turnovers, ranking 11th in rebounding margin and last in turnover margin. Amy Achesinski is the only freshman ranked in the top 25 in the conference in scoring, ranking fourth, and leads the conference in field goal percentage. Stephanie Prischak and Samantha Loadman have helped keep opponents from sagging on Achesinski as they are fourth and fifth in three-point shooting and force the opposition to guard the three-point arc.
SCOUTING FINDLAY: Findlay is currently fifth in the GLIAC South, one spot ahead of Mercyhurst, posting a 9-13 record overall and 3-10 in conference. The Oilers are coming off of two GLIAC losses to Saginaw Valley and Northwood this past week. Findlay is currently second in the GLIAC in scoring offense, averaging 71.9 points per game. Brittany Wells leads offensively, averaging 13 points per game. Findlay is shooting a respectable 45 percent from the field and 34.2 percent from three point range.
SCOUTING ASHLAND: At 14-9 overall and 7-6 in the conference, Ashland is third in the GLIAC South and on the verge of clinching a playoff berth despite losses to both Northwood and Saginaw Valley this past week. Lisa Graue leads the Eagles, averaging 12 points and five rebounds per game. Ashland ranks fourth in the conference in free-throw percentage, making 75.1 percent of its attempts. The Eagles generate extra possessions by getting 9.4 steals per game and grabbing 13.9 offensive rebounds, third in the GLIAC.

QUICK HITS
• Mercyhurst is playing its final season as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (GLIAC) before moving to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) next year. Mercyhurst went 3-1 against PSAC schools this year, picking up wins over Mansfield, Edinboro and Lock Haven, coupled with a loss to Slippery Rock.
• Freshman Amy Achesinski scored a career-high 38 points in the team's 93-73 loss to Wayne State. She was the first Mercyhurst player to score at least 30 in a game since Amy Galla scored 32 against Lake Superior State in 1991. The 38-point game was the highest scoring individual game for a Mercyhurst player in over 15 years.
• Achesinski ranks tenth in all of NCAA Division II in field goal percentage (58.6 percent). She is the only freshman ranked in the top 60 in that category. She also ranks 53rd in the country in scoring (16.8 points per game) and is third among all freshmen nationally, behind only Queens' Amanda Bartlett (18.0 points per game) and Florida Southern's Chelsea Johnson (17.6 points per game).
• As a team, the Lakers are on pace to break the single season school records for field goal percentage and three-point percentage. Mercyhurst is shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from three-point range this year, ranking second in the GLIAC in both categories.
• Stephanie Prischak is the all-time leader in career free-throw percentage at Mercyhurst. At 83.3 percent (110-of-132), she ranks just ahead of Tricia Mahoney (82.7 percent from 1979-83).
• Mercyhurst has three players ranked among the top nine in the GLIAC in three-point shooting. Junior Stephanie Prischak is third at 44.0 percent, followed by freshman Samantha Loadman at 43.4 percent, in fourth. Sophomore Paris Pugliese is tied for ninth at 38.1 percent.