By Bryan DeArdo
ST. LOUIS - After a 9:30 a.m. (central time) complimentary brunch at the Sheridan Plaza, the Capital women’s basketball women’s basketball team embarked on an eventful day in St. Louis in preparation for its NCAA First Round game at Washington University.
First on the docket was a midday sightseeing trip around the city, where the team was welcomed outside with warm weather and a cloudless sky. Capital posed for pictures under the Arch, better known as the “Gateway to the West.”
“Ok guys, you got 20 minutes,” was coach Dixie Jeffers instructions to the team before the squad headed inside the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.
Resembling a scatter drill, the team ventured throughout the Memorial, taking in monuments such as the one dedicated to the Wright Brothers, the inventors of flight. The team also caught glimpses of the mighty Mississippi River, and the elegant new Busch Stadium, home of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team, on the way to their 1:00 shoot-around. After a 2:15 film session at the hotel, the team hiked a few blocks down to Subway for their pregame meal.
The once sunny sky was draped to gray when the team left the hospital en route to Wash. U. at 5:15. “It’s game time now. Time to focus in,” Jeffers said upon arriving on the bus, which would be the last words uttered on the way to the game.
The raucous crowd was at their finest on this evening, as the Bears faithful showed why they had a 12-1 home record coming into the game. A strong contingent of Crusader fans held their own, however, as chants of, “Let’s go CAP!” reverberated throughout the game.
Without the presence of Daniele Sanna for most of the first half due to foul troubles, Capital trailed 40-33 at intermission. The inspired group came out and in the second half and seemed to be seizing the game’s momentum, as well as the contest. The once hostile Wash. U. crowd was subdued at times in the second half, as Heather McAlpin, Sanna, Caitlin Elsass, and Kristin Richardson showed why they are the class of the Ohio Athletic Conference.
Early in the second half, a viscous shot just above the right eye sent Richardson out of the game for a few moments. But not even her sustained injury would keep Richardson from returning and scoring 26 points on the night. Elsass’ 11 in the second half and 17 for the game also proved to be valuable.
While the 77-72 end result was not what the team had hoped for, the squad took comfort in knowing they had played their best in defeat. Capital overcame a 10-point second half deficit to nod the score at 58 with just over seven minutes left. But the Crusaders could not overcome an 8-2 Bears’ run over the next three minutes.
“I’m so proud of this team,” Jeffers said afterward. “Going on the road, almost beating the sixth ranked team in the country on their court, it showed we should have been ranked the entire season.”
Assistant coach Jason Wright added, “We really didn’t lose, we just ran out of time.”
Upon arriving back to the hotel at 10:45, the team was treated to Papa John’s pizza in the lobby dining area with their family, celebrating the end of the season.
And indeed, the Crusaders did indeed accomplish a great deal during the 2008-2009 season. Among them were Sanna winning the OAC Player of the Year award, as well as joining Richardson and Elsass with OAC First and Second team honors, respectively. There was also Jeffers notching 500 wins, and the squad winning the OAC Regular Season and Tournament Titles.
“We did so much this year to continue the pride of Capital basketball,” Jeffers said. “Heart of desire is the best way to remember this team. They enjoyed the game and loved playing with each other.”