Falcons Debut With Impressive Win Over Salisbury

BY ED DUPREE
SALISBURY POST

The West Rowan girls have a couple of newcomers on their roster, but they had no problem blending in with the returnees as the Lady Falcons opened their season on a successful note Tuesday night, beating Salisbury 71-45 at Catawba College's Goodman Gym.

Kate Goodman, a transfer from Northwest Cabarrus, came off the bench to lead Coach Angie Waddell's team with 16 points, and Sara Pieper, a transfer from Kannapolis A.L. Brown, had nine points in a starting role.

Their combined 25 points plus 14 points apiece by returning starters Kari Schenk and Shameeka Wansley showed that West will not have to rely on one or two players to get its points this season.

"I think they blended in real well," said Waddell of the new players. "Since they've been with us all summer and open gym, I think the girls that were on the team last year understand their capabilities, and they've adjusted. They kind of fit in well, I think. For them (Goodman and Pieper), they may have had to make the adjustment as far as different school, different uniform, never played here before."

Goodman had a game-high eight steals, six rebounds and several assists to go with her 16 points, and Pieper had four assists and three steals.

Salisbury held an early 7-4 lead, but Goodman (eight points) and Wansley (six) led the way as West took a 20-9 first-quarter lead. The Lady falcons broke it open in the second quarter, leading 40-22 at halftime.

"We went to a fullcourt man-to-man press," said Waddell. "We really wasn't getting too much out of that zone press (during the first quarter). To get the game more intense, we went with man, and it worked."

West's pressure defense helped cause 12 Salisbury turnovers in that second period and 39 for the night. West had 26 turnovers, most of them coming in the second half, after the outcome had been decided.

Waddell was especially pleased with the scoring balance. Not only were three players in double figures and Pieper just one point short, but reserve post player Emily Langley got eight points in the second half.

"It's probably going to vary," said Waddell of her team's scoring. "It's probably going to be between Kari, Kate, Sara, Shameeka, Les-Lee (Peeler) and Emily (Miller). It depends on whose game's on that night," she added.

"There are some things that I see that we need to work on, but we did a lot of good things too," added Waddell.

Junior forward Sherree Gillespie paced Salisbury with 16 points on 7-for-10 field goal and 2-for-4 free throw shooting, but turnovers kept the Lady Hornets of Coach Jennifer Shoaf from getting the ball inside to their scoring leader. Guard KeKe Chunn had eight points, four assists and three steals, and forward Ella Phifer sat out the first quarter before scoring seven points and grabbing five rebounds.

NOTES: West was 28-for-59 (47.4 percent) on field goals and 15-for-21 at the foul line, where Pieper made her last five attempts. Salisbury went 16-for-37 (43.2 percent) from the floor and 13-for-25 at the foul line. West had a 26-23 edge on the boards. ... Salisbury takes on Charlotte Country Day at home on Dec. 1, and West will be at home against South Rowan on Dec. 2.