ERIE, Pa. – The Mercyhurst women's basketball team will travel to California (Pa.) to face off against #18 West Liberty on Friday and Notre Dame (OH) Saturday in the Conference Challenge against the Mountain East Conference (MEC). Games will tip-off at 5:00 and 3:00 p.m.
The Lakers were picked to finish sixth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West Division Preseason Coaches' Poll. The Lakers looking to make some noise in the 2014-15 season they return nine players from the 2013-14 campaign.
Junior guard Adrienne Kloecker looks to take on a bigger leadership role as she is the only three year returning starter on the team. Kloecker led the Lakers team the past two seasons in made three-pointers, 44 and 45 and in scoring, averaging 7.8 and 14.7 points per game. She also led the team in assists with 83 a season ago, averaging 3.2 a game.
Kloecker dropped 23 points to lead the Lakers to their biggest win of the 2013-14 season, beating, then, #20 Indiana (Pa.), 73-64, at the Mercyhurst Athletic Center (MAC). She started off the 2014 portion of the schedule scoring 18 or more points for seven consecutive games, 26 was her highest output for the season in a win over Cheyney. During that stretch, the Lakers went 4-3.
Coach Deanna Richard, now in her eighth season as head coach, looks to get a lot of contribution from her sophomore class. All six sophomores are back from last year and look to be more comfortable in their roles with a year of experience under them. The sophomores were highlighted by the play of Katie Fischer and Natalie Piaggesi.
Fischer, an Ambridge, Pennsylvania native, led the team in steals a season ago with 32, averaging 1.2 a game and free-throw percentage at 83%. Her strongest performance came in a win at Slippery Rock where she scored 20 points and was 11-12 from the line.
Piaggesi led the team in blocked shots with 19, averaging 0.7 per game. The Lakers will look to Piaggesi for her rebounding inside as the leading rebounder Alayna White has graduated. Mercyhurst was an efficient rebounding team as they finished third in the PSAC with a plus-5.2 margin on the glass. Piaggesi was the third leading rebounder behind White and Kloecker, averaging 4.8 boards a game.
Mercyhurst has four newcomers to the squad this season, three incoming freshmen and a transfer. Forward Jessica Brooks, guard Maryssa Agurs, and guard Hannah Centea make up the incoming freshmen. Division-I transfer Angela Heintz, coming from Duquesne University, is looking to make an immediate impact and get her feel playing alongside her new teammates. Heinz, a 5'10 guard, comes in adding another sophomore to the group.
Reigning PSAC West Champion Edinboro was voted first in the poll receiving seven votes while Gannon followed The Fighting Scots, receiving the other two. California (Pa.), Indiana (Pa.), and Pitt- Johnstown rounded out the top five. Slippery Rock, Seton Hill, and Clarion were selected to finish seven through nine.
Notable games on the 2014-15 schedule include games against #6 Edinboro on December 6 and February 7 and against #13 Gannon on November 22 and January 31.
Coach Richard is looking to rally around her experienced players from last year and make a postseason appearance for the first time since the 2012-13 campaign.
