Third game not the charm

For the second straight year, Penn women’s basketball was defeated by Duquesne in its third game of the season. And just like in the 2008-09 campaign, the loss in their third game was the Quakers’ third of the year.

Five Penn players scored in double figures Saturday, but the duo of Duquesne’s junior forward Kelly Britcher and senior guard Keri Pryor stole the show in the Quakers’ home opener. Each shot 7-for-12 from the field on their way to 18 and 17 points, respectively.

The Quakers (0-3) jumped out to a 15-13 lead midway through the first half behind the strength of two three-pointers from senior guard Sarah Bucar, but Britcher ignited a 10-0 Dukes run when she hit a deep jumper and trifecta from the right corner on consecutive possessions with seven minutes left in the half.

Penn wouldn’t score again until sophomore forward Jess Knapp notched a fast break layup with just over two minutes left in the opening frame. But by then, the damage had been done: Duquesne (4-0) stretched its lead to nine when leading scorer Alex Gensler caught fire and knocked down two three-pointers from the wing.

At the half, Penn was down by seven.

“Our kids got a bit dejected when [Duquesne] hit a couple really good shots,” coach Mike McLaughlin said of Penn’s first-half performance, “but they need to learn that that’s basketball, and you just have to go back out there and play.”

It seemed that the Quakers learned that lesson at halftime, as they came out with renewed energy after the break.

Trailing 27-36, Penn scored three straight baskets to slice the Duquesne lead to a mere three points. The Dukes called timeout to slow the Quakers’ run, and with good timing: Britcher’s three-pointer on the ensuing possession started a 15-4 Duquesne run.

Trailing 62-48 and seemingly out of the game with 3:27 to play, the Quakers bounced back again, as senior forward Caitlin Slover forced two turnovers that led to two Bucar three-pointers. In what seemed to be the blink of an eye, Penn had erupted on a 10-0 run, and found itself down by just four points with 21.5 seconds to play.

But that was as close as the Quakers would get, as Bucar was unable to hit a third straight three from the left side. Duquesne would go on to ice the game from the foul line.

“We just played our hearts out,” Bucar said of the close loss. “We left it all on the floor. And that’s what coach said at halftime. If we go out and leave it all out on the floor, when we walk out of this game, we’ll be happy with whatever happens.”

And in comparison to last year’s matchup against Duquesne, in which Penn was outscored 52-26 in the second half, this 2009-10 team has a lot to be happy about.

“The difference between this year’s team [is] we’re going to keep bouncing back,” Bucar said. “We’re energized, we believe in each other, and no matter what happens we’re going to keep fighting.”

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.