By David Gibb

Last Thursday, the Hofstra Women’s Basketball Team shocked CAA conference rival Old Dominion University with a 66-51 upset victory at the Mack. Although Old Dominion had been near the top of the Colonial Athletic Association rankings for the entire season (and are seventeen-time defending CCA Champions), the Pride were able to use them as a springboard back to respectability, clawing their way to 7-7 in conference (15-10 overall) with the win.

Junior center Jess Fuller led the way for the Pride against ODU, tallying a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds and chalking up, one could argue, more than seventy-five percent of a triple-double, considering her 6 blocked shots.

Fuller was only one of five Hofstra players in double digits, as guards Sam Brigham, Natty Fripp, and Niki Williams achieved the feat along with forward Joelle Connelly. Williams ripped down seven rebounds and dished six assists to add to her 11 points, and Fripp also had a strong game with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals.

There was little time for Jess Fuller and the Women’s Basketball Team to celebrate their upset victory, however, as they ran up against 12-2 (22-4 overall) conference-leading Virginia Commonwealth University on Sunday. Fuller had another near-double-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 blocks in 33 minutes, but it was not enough for a Pride victory, as the team ultimately fell 55-43.

Hofstra outscored VCU 25-16 in the first half, building an early lead, but in the second period, VCU stepped up and no Pride scorer managed more than six points for the half. Commonwealth senior forward Bachvarova Radoslava (who hails from Varna, Bulgaria) dominated the Pride, finishing with a game-leading 17 points (13 of which came in the decisive second half) and 7 rebounds. Rams’ guard Jennifer Lane scored 10 of her 12 points in the second half to help seal the victory, and center Quanitra Hollingsworth double-doubled with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

The Pride Women’s Basketball Team have nothing to be ashamed of following this loss, as for much of the game they stood toe-to-toe with the best team in the CAA. The team will next play Thursday at George Mason, and then return home to play UNC Wilmington on March first.