The Eagles were able to fend off every Navy attempt at a comeback to hold off the Mids 59-49 at Bender Arena in a crucial Patriot League game. The match-up featured the top two teams in the Patriot League standings Tuesday, Jan. 27.
The Eagles led for the majority of the game, but several times Navy threatened the AU lead by drawing as close as six points in the second half.
“We struggled at times guarding the inside and dribble penetration,” Eagles head coach Megan Gebbia said. “But I think, when push came to shove, we made baskets when we needed to make baskets and we got stops when we needed to get stops.”
Senior guard Jen Dumiak led the way for AU with 17 points and four assists, while junior forward Michelle Holmes added 13 points and eight rebounds, and Arron Zimmerman chipped in with 10 points and five rebounds.
The Eagles (13-7, 8-1 PL) began the game with a stifling defense, forcing the Mids into missing nine of their first 11 field goal attempts. AU forced the Mids (11-9, 5-4 PL) to work late in the shot clock on four of their first five offensive trips and clogged passing lanes and shooting windows, preventing the Navy sharpshooters from getting clean looks at the basket. Eight minutes into the game, Navy had managed only seven points and the Eagles had opened up a nine-point lead.
Towards the end of the first half, the Mids figured out the Eagles’ aggressive man-to-man defense and shot their way back into the game. A three-point field goal with seven and a half minutes left in the first half by sophomore guard Chloe Stapleton pulled Navy within one at 18-17.
Dumiak, however, had the answer for the Eagles, and her jumper at the 5:32 mark ended a scoreless run of almost five minutes for AU. Turnovers and efficient offense from Holmes, Dumiak and senior guard Shaquila Curtis helped AU reestablish a comfortable lead and enter halftime with a 32-22 lead.
The beginning of the second half stood as a complete contrast from the first, as both teams traded baskets with frequency. AU used quick ball movement to work easy shots and eventually force Navy out of its 2-3 zone. The Eagle’s effective passing led to 16 assists on 24 made baskets. Navy remained in the game and, after a quick 6-0 run, the Mids closed the gap to 42-36. Dumiak, as she did in the first half, kept the Eagle thriving. She knocked down a long two-point jump shot, and after forcing the Mids into a turnover, Dumiak provided an assist for sophomore forward Lauren Crisler. The 10 point lead was restored.
The Eagles were plagued again by a long dry spell that almost relinquished their lead. AU was held scoreless for almost six minutes but Navy could not capitalize, only cutting AU’s lead to six before a three-minute dry spell of their own. The Eagles were stuck on 53 points as the clock ticked down in the second half, and they leaned on their defense to hold a late Navy charge and secure victory.
The Eagles improved their record at Bender Arena to 5-3, a perfect 4-0 in Patriot League play. In their last three Patriot League home games, the Eagles have not yielded more than 50 points. AU held Navy to 37.3 percent shooting from the field while shooting 24-47 (51.1 percent) from the field themselves.
The game also marked another milestone for Dumiak, who moved into the top 10 for points scored as well as into third place in career assists in AU Women’s Basketball history.
“It’s nice to have the accolades,” Dumiak said. “But if we’re not winning it doesn’t really mean anything. When I’m done it will be something nice to look back at, but at the moment it’s not something I’m really thinking about.”
The Eagles will work to stay on the winning track when they welcome The College of Holy Cross to Bender Arena at 2 p.m. Jan. 31. The day will also be a celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day, and female varsity athletes from the AU basketball, field hockey, lacrosse, volleyball and soccer teams will offer a free clinics to females in attendance after the game.
