W. Hoops: Last stand at Palestra draws victory for seniors

The women's basketball seniors could not have scripted a better home finale.

Two weeks after losing to Dartmouth by 27, the Quakers got their revenge, hanging on to upset the second-place Big Green, 56-53.

"It's great for the seniors," coach Pat Knapp said. "There's no other way to go out."

Yet while Ashley Gray, Monica Naltner, Lauren Pears, Joey Rhoads and their families were honored before the Senior Day game, it was a sophomore that emerged as Penn's unlikely hero.

With under four minutes remaining, Carrie Biemer nailed a three-pointer from the top of the arc to complete the Quakers' 10-0 run and put them up by one.

Knapp capitalized on a rare chance for him to display positive emotion, screaming "Yeah!" while pumping his fists - Tiger Woods-style, twice.

Biemer finished with nine points, all of which came in a three-minute stretch late in second half.

"Even though I missed my first six shots, [Knapp] still had confidence in me," Biemer said. "I took that and told myself I could do it, and once one went in I built off that."

Even with Biemer's clutch performance down the stretch, the final minute was very tense.

A Kristen Craft three-pointer with 23.6 seconds remaining pulled Dartmouth within two. On the ensuing inbounds attempt, Naltner was called for a five-second violation, but the Big Green failed to capitalize.

Pears was intentionally fouled on the Quakers' next possession, but missed the front end of a one-and-one. Much to Knapp's chagrin, the Quakers sent Ashley Taylor - second in the Ivy League in scoring - to the line with six seconds left.

Yet the league's most prolific free-throw shooter missed her second shot, preserving the Quakers' one-point lead.

Even then, the game was not over. Naltner missed another key foul shot with just under five seconds remaining, but Gray scooped up the ball and then made both her foul shots.

The Big Green still had one final chance to notch their sixth straight victory over Penn.

Knapp said, "I was thinking, 'Don't let [Taylor] beat you.' And that was halfway out of my mouth as the ball was going through the air."

The pass was to Taylor, who released a prayer three-point attempt at the buzzer, but it sailed wide, and the Quakers jumped up and down in celebration.

"It meant a lot to beat them," Naltner said. "After beating them freshman year, that meant bringing it all full circle now. It feels good."

Friday night's game versus Harvard had much of the same excitement, but a different ending. Though the Quakers never had the lead in the second half, they were down by only two with two minutes remaining.

As the shot clock wound down, Kelly Scott drove towards the hoop but was called for an offensive foul on the play. Her layup was no good, and the Quakers blew their greatest opportunity.

Katie Rollins, who led the Crimson with 15 points, completed a three-point play, and Rhoads committed the Quakers' 25th turnover on the night on the ensuing possession. Penn was forced to foul, and even when the Crimson missed several shots, they were able to recover their own offensive rebounds.

In addition to turnovers, the Quakers were also plagued by poor shooting. They attempted 28 three-pointers, but only seven fell, including just 2 of 12 in the second half.

"I'm not gonna tell [my players] not to shoot," Knapp said. "I can't bring freaking Kobe Bryant in to shoot threes. They are our shooters, and they are going to shoot."

Friday's loss officially eliminated the Quakers from title contention.

"It means nothing," Pears said. "We're still going to come out, play hard and try to win games, maybe be the spoiler."

One night later, she had 10 points and six assists, and the Quakers did just that.

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