Swenson three-pointer leads women's basketball team to win
Dec 21, 2006
Sophomore guard Danyelle Swenson hit the biggest shot of her IVC career thus far, sinking a three-pointer with just 1.0 second to play to lift the women's basketball team to a 63-62 win over Cuyamaca Wednesday night at Irvine Valley.
The win improved the team's record to 6-6 on the year. Irvine Valley was coming off two straight close losses at home.
“We needed that win,” Irvine Valley Coach Julie Hanks said. “We lost two in a row and if we'd had lost this one I don't know if we would have bounced back.”
Irvine Valley trailed at halftime and was down for most of the second half. The Lasers' biggest deficit was 47-40 with 12:23 left in the game.
They trailed 49-44 when Swenson hit a three pointer to make it a two-point game. The sophomore from Irvine High hit another three-pointer two minutes later to keep Irvine Valley close at 51-50.
The Lasers took their first lead since midway through the first half when sophomore forward Emily Luckeroth made a basket. It gave Irvine Valley a 59-58 advantage with 1:30 to play.
Samantha Mohan was fouled at the other end and made one of two free throws to pull Cuyamaca even at 59-59.
A free throw by Brittany Daniel on the Coyotes' next possession put them up, 60-59 with 50.7 seconds left.
Irvine Valley's Luckeroth was then fouled and made one free throw to tie it at 60 with 34.3 seconds to play in the contest.
Jamaisa Allen put Cuyamaca back in front, 62-60, after making a driving lay-up with 11 seconds to go.
Irvine Valley rushed the ball up the floor and Swenson got her hands on it just to the right of the top of the circle. Her three-pointer hit nothing but net.
“I just knew she was going to make it after she caught it,” Hanks said. “When she gets her feet set and is on balance she can make them all the time.”
Swenson, who leads the team in scoring on the season at 12.6 points per game, was tops on the squad in the contest, finishing with 16 points.
She made 6 of 13 shots from the floor, including 4 of 8 from behind the three-point line.
Swenson also had five assists and two steals in the game.
Luckeroth added 13 points, six rebounds and six assists and freshman center Kayla Acromite finished with 12 points and a team-high 15 rebounds.
Cuyamaca was paced by Brittany Daniel, who had 22 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Hanks was impressed by Daniel, who took over the game at times in the first half.
“She is a player,” Hanks said. “We were throwing defenses at her that we hadn't even practiced. We went to a diamond and one, a box and one and even used a 2-2-1 (zone). But I also thought Bethany Vergara did a pretty good job against (Daniel) at times in our man defense. She made her work and I think it might have worn (Daniel) down a little bit as the game went on.”
Irvine Valley is now off until Friday when it plays in the Orange Coast Holiday Crossover Tournament. It will play Rio Hondo at 5 p.m.