Gwynedd-Mercy 2011-12 women's basketball preview
The women's basketball team will no doubt look to erase the memory of being the first team in 13 consecutive seasons to not play for the conference championship as the Griffins fell in the semifinal round. The 2011-12 campaign has the ability to have the team start a new streak.
The Griffins were invited for postseason play, however, earning a bid to the ECAC Tournament for the fourth year in a row. They hope this season, their invitation has "NCAA" written on it along with a conference championship under their belts.
It won't be easy as questions arise in the frontcourt with Gwynedd losing two of its reliable starters from a year ago. Head Coach Keith Mondillo has his eyes on his young underclassmen to step into a starting role. Sophomores Taylour Alston and Natasha Matthews, who both had outstanding rookie seasons, look to be the frontrunners, but are sure to be pushed from the incoming freshmen. Alston transferred in from Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania after the semester break and made an immediate impact, leading the team in blocks and was third in rebounding. For Matthews, the start of her season looked promising, averaging almost seven points and six rebounds in four games, but it came to an abrupt halt after a season-ending injury. Sophomores Nicole Dougherty and Cara McArdle also return with a year experience as each appeared in over 20 games apiece. Freshmen Shea Wassel and Lauren Starzecky, who were standouts in high school, earning all-league and all-area honors, will also press for playing time and a possible starting role.
The team's strong point will be its backcourt, as a pair of seniors have the skill and know-how to help lead the Griffins back to a conference championship. Brittany Neill, an all first-team pick after leading the team in scoring and three-pointers made, looks to continue her scoring output. A threat from downtown, she hit three or more three-pointers in nine games, including a personal-best eight in a win at Marywood. Bryn Cotteta, a three-year starter, led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.8) while averaging over six points and three assists per contest. She'll be asked again to guide the offense up top. Junior Liza Leyes returns after missing all of 2010-11 with an injury and will be counted on for her defensive presence. Sophomore Lauren Smith started all 28 games as a freshman and will hope to do the same this season. Pushing her and the veterans will include a plethora of players including Theresa Griffin, Jordan Dominic, and Dara Nelson. Two freshmen, Kelsey Yori and Jess Rotella will also state their case for a spot in the lineup.
Once again, the Griffins have assembled a schedule that will put them to the test. On its non-league slate, Gwynedd will kick off the season at perennially-ranked Kean University. From there GM will host another early-season tournament featuring the likes of Lycoming, Delaware Valley and Scranton. Conference play begins on November 28th with a date with Rosemont. Two days later, the Griffins will return to the scene of their playoff exit a year ago when they play at Neumann. After one more league tilt with Philadelphia Biblical, Gwynedd faces four non-conference matchups against solid teams in the region. GM will battle with King's, DeSales, Montclair State, and Richard Stockton in a two-week span in December. Come 2012, Gwynedd-Mercy travels to sunny Florida for games with Oneonta State and NAIA member Southeastern University. When they return, they'll get into the thick of the conference portion. Six of the last eight games of the regular season will be at the Griffin Complex.
