Veterans must step up to win season, coach says
A.J. Griffin
Issue date: 11/2/09 Section: Sports
|
The Lady Red Storm fell one game short of a conference championship last year and with a strong returning nucleus and some valuable additions, the team has the league title on its mind.
"We have a lot of talent this year," said sophomore guard Shanae Vaifanua, a general education major from Hurricane. "We have strong posts this year and big guards. Definitely (to) win conference is the goal in mind."
Head coach Angela Kristensen said along with a conference championship, a postseason berth is another goal the Red Storm is seeking. The winner of the PacWest Conference will receive an automatic playoff bid.
Kristensen said Dixie's three returning starters, senior forward Tanya Clark, senior guard Jessie Ingraham and Vaifanua will have to step up as leaders if the Red Storm are to be successful in 2009-10.
"You've got to pick up where you left off," Kristensen said. "We did a lot of good things last year, but we've brought in a lot of size this year so we are going to be better in half court, both offensively and defensively."
Clark, who led the team in rebounds and averaged more than nine points a game last year, will look to dominate in the post.
Vaifanua, who will be starting at guard, was a major contributor on both sides of the ball last year. She averaged 10.3 points, six rebounds and two steals per game.
Ingraham shot a team-best 41 percent from beyond the arc and drained 35 three-pointers last year, making her the top returning deep threat on the team.
"Really our team is trying to stress there is no individual success," said Ingraham, an integrated studies major from Tucson, Ariz. "We don't care how many points we score. It's about winning that championship."
Be the first to comment on this story