After a close game against Division I competition, the Chargers are ready to test their skills against someone their own size.
The Chargers fell to the Eastern Michigan University Eagles 73-56 last Tuesday evening in a after going toe-to-toe with them for a majority of the preseason showcase game.
The Chargers had a promising first half, lead by Junior Kayla Geffert who scored 14 of the team’s points. Hillsdale held EMU to a four-point lead going into the second half.
Head coach Claudette Charney said she was proud of the way Geffert played with the same athleticism as EMU’s Division I players.
“Kayla fits into what they look like, she’s long, athletic and can jump. She wasn’t phased by anything they did or showed, and she just played,” Charney said.
The Chargers knew that the Eagles would drive hard to the basket, so they worked on their gap defense during practice the week before, Geffert said. While the Chargers’ tough defense held the Eagles in the first half, the effects wore off in the second.
EMU came alive as Hillsdale began to tire. The Chargers’ inside players had trouble getting shots up, and Eastern’s defense forced 30 total turnovers. Hillsdale was held to 21 points in the second half while EMU scored 34.
“It was a four-point game with nine minutes to go and we were right there,” Charney said. “But when the shots don’t fall and we turn the ball over too much that combination isn’t very good. The pressure got to us a little bit.”
Other than the last nine minutes of the game, Charney said she was happy with the way her team played. Geffert says the team’s defense has improved, which looks promising for the season.
“Eastern is probably the best driving to the basket team we’ll see, so if we could stop them we can stop the teams in our league,” Geffert said.
Tuesday’s loss against EMU does not go towards the Chargers’ final win-loss count, so the team enters conference play today at the University of Tiffin with a 2-0 record.
The Chargers split with the Dragons last year, but today’s game will be their only matchup this season. The two teams are similar, said Charney, as the teams run many of the same plays.
“They will back door cut you, shoot it from the three and skip it all over the place, we have to be able to find the ball,” Charney said.
Geffert knows the Dragons are a very physical team that will run hard at the Chargers and play rough in the paint. Though she said her team will have to watch out for the physical play, she believes they can get the win.
On Saturday the Chargers will take the court at Ohio Dominican University, matching up with the Panthers, another team the Chargers split with last season.
Coach Charney said the Panthers have already shown to be a tough competitor this season, and will come ready to play on their home court.
“They’ll box out, rebound and do all the little things. We’re going to have to defend the arc because they will shoot it up. They’re a very good team right now,” Charney said.
