Loyola women’s basketball is ready for a new, exciting season.
“We have ten people on the team, and everybody is contributing,” coach Dobee Plaisance said. “These women are very focused and are working hard to achieve.”
When asked about the problems that may arise due to having a small roster to work with, Plaisance remained upbeat.
“It’s not an issue at all,” she said. “I’m not worried about injuries – the way I approach any season is (that) my roster is my roster.”
The Loyola women’s basketball team started the season Friday in the Baymont Classic in Cleveland, Tenn.
“They are very focussed on their goals … being successful and being the best they can be,” Plaisance said.
Although, leading 42-33 at halftime, the Wolfpack lost, 81-75.
Summer Fiedler, visual graphics sophomore, led the ‘Pack with 18 points and an astounding 87.5 shooting percentage, including perfection from beyond the arc.
Criminal justice sophomore Dani Holland was one rebound away from a double-double.
The loss came despite and all- around effort, with five players reaching the double figure mark in points.
“We out-rebounded a bigger and deeper team with a home crowd cheering them on,” Plaisance said. “If two players wouldn’t have fouled out, we would have won that game.”
The Wolfpack then trounced Martin Methodist, 70-48, on Saturday.
“”This was a great win,” Plaisance said. “Once again we out-rebounded a bigger and deeper team, but the only difference was that no one fouled out.”
This game served as a coming-out party for outstanding Marjorie Bilinski, finance freshman, who pulled in a double-double with 22 points and 12 rebounds.
“I have a team with an extreme amount of heart and leadership, even from the freshmen,” Plaisance said.
Joelle Bordelon, sociology junior, made the All-Tournament team. She had eight assists, four steals, and three points in the win over Martin Methodist College. In Friday’s loss, Bordelon had a double-double with 11 points and 11 assists.
“Its great knowing she got the award, because it’s picked by coaches on other teams,” Plaisance said. “When your opponents acknowledge how good one of your players is playing, that says something.”
Although they may not have been successful in the past, winning an average of five games the last three seasons, they hope that a combination of experienced veterans like (HollandBordelon, Fielder, and music business junior Kate Pilgreen), transfused with new, hungry blood, like that of Belinski, could help the ‘Pack compete for a conference title.
In the preseason poll, Gulf Coast Athletic Conference coaches ranked the Loyola ninth, ahead of only LSU-Shreveport, a basketball newcomer.
“Every season at Loyola is an opportunity for me to show what can be done,” Plaisance said. “The ranking doesn’t matter in November, it matters in February.”
“I feel like when this season is said and done, the team will have left it all on the court,” she added.
“This team is full of potential and whatever they put their hearts and minds into doing, I’m very confident they’ll achieve it.”
