It is the first MIAA regular season title for the Briton women’s basketball program which burst on the scene by winning the league tournament title last February. With its sweep of Hope during the regular season, Albion (22-3 overall, 14-2 MIAA, ranked 12th in the USA Today/ESPN/Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Division III Top 25, and ranked 14th in the D3hoops.com survey) will have home court advantage as long as it’s alive in the MIAA Tournament. The Britons’ tournament road begins Tuesday night at 7:30 when they meet the survivor of Monday’s contest between Adrian College and Olivet College.
Sophomore forward Ruthie Sventickas led all players with 20 points, and senior guard Vanessa Thompson added 13 points.
Albion ended the game on an 8-2 run. The Britons trailed 60-55 when Jordyn Boles knocked down a three-point basket with 2:51 remaining. Sventickas’ basket at the 2:11 mark pulled the Britons within three, and then Caskey tied the score with a “three” on the next offensive possession.
Boles responded Albion’s challenge with a basket to put the Flying Dutch in front with 50 seconds remaining, but Caskey provided the final answer when she canned her second “three” with 33 seconds left.
Caskey then prevented Hope from scoring on its final two possessions, collecting a steal and blocking a three-point effort by Bria Ebels.
"Sarah looked fine and she held her own," Albion's fourth-year head coach Doreen Belkowski said. "Having her on the court made everyone feel relaxed."
Albion gained confidence from a first half in which it trailed for less than four minutes. The Britons reeled off five quick points on a basket by junior guard Kellyn Glynn and a three-point play by junior guard Jaime Fornetti to build a 24-17 lead with seven minutes left. The Britons’ largest lead of the first half was eight, 29-21, when first-year forward Katie Elder made a basket with 2:44 remaining. Albion settled for a 29-25 lead at halftime, with Caskey on the floor for just four minutes.
"It was a huge confidence boost to take a lead at halftime," Belkowski said. "The girls really dug down tonight. This was a total team effort."
The Britons enjoyed a 38-36 edge in rebounds. Fornetti, Sventickas, and junior forward Liz Marcuz grabbed seven boards each.
Hope (22-3 overall, 14-2 MIAA) received 15-point performances from Ebels and Boles.
ALBION COLLEGE (22-3; 14-2) Ruth Sventickas 10-18 0-0 21; Vanessa Thompson 5-10 1-3 13; Sarah Caskey 2-3 1-3 7; Jaime Fornetti 2-6 1-1 5; Kellyn Glynn 2-8 0-0 4; Jessica Babcock 1-3 2-2 4; Liz Marcuz 1-4 0-0 3; Katie Elder 1-2 0-0 2; Blair Meyer 1-3 0-0 2; Emi Guimond 0-0 2-2 2; Stacey Jenema 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-58 7-11 63. HOPE COLLEGE (22-3; 14-2) Jordyn Boles 6-8 1-2 15; Bria Ebels 6-15 0-2 15; Linda Ebels 2-6 3-4 7; Sarah Jurik 3-6 1-2 7; Ellen Wood 3-9 1-1 7; Julie Henderson 2-5 0-0 5; Megan Noll 1-4 2-2 4; Adelynn Vilmann 1-4 0-0 2; Jennie IntVeld 0-2 0-0 0; Stacy Warsen 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-59 8-13 62. Albion College................ 29 34 - 63 Hope College......................... 25 37 - 62 3-point goals-Albion College 6-13 (Sarah Caskey 2-2; Vanessa Thompson 2-3; Liz Marcuz 1-1; Ruth Sventickas 1-1; Jessica Babcock 0-1; Kellyn Glynn 0-2; Jaime Fornetti 0-2; Stacey Jenema 0-1), Hope College 6-16 (Bria Ebels 3-8; Jordyn Boles 2-4; Julie Henderson 1-1; Jennie IntVeld 0-1; Sarah Jurik 0-2). Fouled out--Albion College-None, Hope College-None. Rebounds-Albion College 38 (Ruth Sventickas 7; Liz Marcuz 7; Jaime Fornetti 7), Hope College 36 (Linda Ebels 8). Assists-Albion College 16 (Liz Marcuz 4), Hope College 13 (Julie Henderson 5). Total fouls-Albion College 13, Hope College 13. A-1100