Women's basketball falls to Irish national team

by Ron D'Orazio sports editor

The women's basketball team was defeated in an exhibition bout with the women's Irish National Team to cap off the cultural experience of Cabrini Day. The Irish team won 80-61 over the Lady Cavs at the Dixon Center in the fourth of their eight games against selected United States' college programs.

The Irish team's win over the Lady Cavs was their first during their college series. The Irish team had previously lost -to Binghamton University of New York, Holy Family College and St. Joseph's University before their victory over the Lady Cavs.

The Nov. 5 game started off with the giving of gifts from the Lady Cavs to the Irish team during the introductions followed by the singing of the U.S. national anthem by Lady Cavs junior forward Jackie Pierangeli. Cabrini came out strong early, aided by two threepointers by sophomore forward Gina Virelli and a few quick field goals by senior center Melissa Posse. The game-experienced Irish team did not take long to warm to the task, working the perimeter and then breaking up the Lady Cavs' defense with passes and quick moves.

Tne Irish team had already played three games in

National team on Cabrini Day.

America while the Lady Cavs have not started their season yet.

Down 25-11 in the middle of the first half, the Irish team rallied to score 14 straight points with no answer from the Cavs.

By the end of the first half, the Irish National Team had pulled ahead 38-35 after dominating the Lady Cavs in the last 10 minutes of the half.Virelli said, "The team played well after only having 10 days of practice before the game."

The Lady Cavs came out in the second half the same way they ended the first half,unable to get their offense untracked. The Lady Cavs had problems sinking the basketball from almost everywhere on the court. At one point in the second half the Lady Cavs went three minutes without sinking a basket before Posse made a foul shot. The team went a total of about five minutes before making a field goal.

The Lady Cavs were forced to shoot almost all threepointers to try and get back into the game. The Irish team seemed to sit back and wait for a mistake by the Lady Cavs to capitalize on.

The Irish out scored the Lady Cavs 42-25 in the second half to make the final score 80-61, A positive aspect, Virelli said, was that everyone on the team had the chance to and play and everyone scored a point during the game.

The Lady Cavs start their regular season at the Notre Dame Tip-off Tournament on Nov. 20.