Lady Hokies Lose Basketball Opener to Radford 67-60
by Jennifer Noble
November 10 , 2006

The Radford Highlanders defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies 67-60 Friday night in Cassell Coliseum in the women’s basketball season opener. 

Radford jumped out to a 15 point lead with 4:44 left in the first half, but Virginia Tech cut that to seven by half time.  Tech was fortunate to be trailing by single digits after shooting just 28 percent from the field in those first 20 minutes.

Midway through the second half the Hokies were able to work their way to a four point lead on 10 consecutive points by 6’6” senior center Nare Diawara who finished the game with a career high of 18 points.  However, the Hokies found themselves down by one with 48 seconds to go.  The Highlanders proceeded to score six consecutive free throws, including four by Corrie Fertitta.

Just as the last minute indicated, free throw shooting was a major factor in this game.  Radford was 16 of 22, including being perfect in the final minute.  Virginia Tech, however, was only 6 for 18 with Diawara making all six.  The rest of the team combined to shoot 0 for 10.

Virginia Tech’s coach Beth Dunkenburger said, “We started out really slow tonight and our inexperience really showed in the first half.  We made a run in the second half but I think that throughout the course of the game we missed too many easy shots, too many free throws…I thought we did well on the boards, but still we gave up a key offensive rebound at a key moment.  It just didn’t bounce our way."

Sarah Stephens came off the bench to lead the Highlanders with 22 points on 8 of 12 shooting from the field.  Fertitta also contributed a double double with 12 points and 10 boards.  Stephens said, “Poise and leadership won this game for us.”

Senior, guard Kirby Copeland led the Hokies with a career high 20 points in 35 minutes.  Dunkenburger said, “I think Kirby (Copeland) had great effort when everybody else kind of stalled out, but for Kirby to be good we’ve got to be able to move that ball around and get everybody involved.”

Diawara also finished the game with a double double, 18 points and 11 rebounds. 

Virginia Tech did dominate the boards by out rebounding Radford by 48-33.  Of Tech’s 48 rebounds, 21 were offensive which led to Tech’s 26 second chance points.  Radford only managed 7 offensive boards which contributed to their four second chance points.