W. Hoops blows out Leopards in easy win

Lafayette - 60 Penn - 83 Entering yesterday's holiday doubleheader against Lafayette (2-15), the Penn women's basketball team had notched only four wins this year, and each of those was a struggle.

Only a Jan. 11 game against Dartmouth at the Palestra yielded a double-digit Quaker victory.

That made yesterday afternoon's 83-60 blowout win over the Leopards especially satisfying.

"It's really nice to get an easy win," Penn coach Kelly Greenberg. "It helps our team's confidence, and we scored a lot of points. As much as we talk about our size, and being smaller, your defense doesn't look as bad when you're scoring."

The Red and Blue (5-10, 1-2 Ivy League) defense was solid as well, but offense was the story, as Penn produced its highest point total of the season.

Lafayette hung tough early on, tying the game at 27 with 4:37 remaining in the first half, but Penn used a 16-5 flourish to cap the period and headed into the break ahead, 43-32.

The Red and Blue followed that up with a solid 40-point second half.

Senior captain Julie Epton was particularly effective, finishing the game 5-for-10 from the field, for 17 points.

The center had posted a couple of subpar games coming into the Lafayette contest, but she battled for a number of hard-fought baskets in the post.

The Leopards triple and even quadruple-teamed Epton down low at times, but lacked the size and presence to execute the game plan.

"Julie had been going through a bit of a funk with injuries, and she may have even gotten a little complacent," Greenberg said. "But if we're going to do anything as a team, we need Julie Epton."

"Tonight she played with a lot of heart and she really led us."

And while the coaches and her teammates were more than pleased with Epton's effort, the lone senior on the Quakers squad chose to concentrate on the win rather than any personal accomplishments.

"I think the win is what was greatest about tonight," she said. "This team didn't know what it was like to win, to get a lead and keep it. That was the best part of the game, and my playing well comes second to that. It's not what I focus on at all."

Penn sophomore guard Jewel Clark had a quieter game than usual, but still managed to lead all scorers with 18 points, on 5-for-14 shooting from the floor.

The Ivy League's leading rebounder collected seven rebounds and was responsible for two of Penn's 10 steals.

Lafayette was sloppy throughout the game, committing 24 turnovers altogether.

Penn's defensive success was partly the cause of such shoddy ball handling, but the Leopards' carelessness was also to blame.

"I think we should take all the credit," Clark said jokingly. "As long as we get in somebody's face, it's going to affect how they play."

Lafayette was guilty of travelling on numerous occasions, and Greenberg frequently expressed her displeasure with walks that she felt should have been called by the officiating crew.

Penn's third-year coach's greatest impact, however, was giving all 12 players time on the floor.

All except for freshman point guard Amanda Kammes got on the scoreboard, but the Wheaton, Ill. native registered four assists, one steal and did not turn the ball over.

And while freshman center Katie Kilker scored 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting in 15 minutes off the bench, freshman guard Maria DiDonato captured everyone's attention for a stretch late in the first half into the early stages of the second.

Although DiDonato connected on two three-pointers -- en route to eight points -- her teammates were most impressed with her other basket.

The 5-foot-6 guard retrieved an offensive board under the glass and laid in the second chance opportunity.

"She was awesome -- the little girl getting in there on the rebound. That was sweet," Epton said.

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