The Virginia women's basketball team came together to win its first exhibition game 79-69 over Athletes in Action, a Christian traveling basketball team, last night at University Hall.
The Cavs were scoreless for the first four minutes of the game and allowed AIA to post a five-point lead, but Virginia senior forward Svetlana Volnaya hit a running jump shot to put her team on the board.
But Virginia's first half woes were far from over. Sophomore forward Schuye LaRue suffered foul trouble, committing three fouls in the first eight minutes of the game.
"I was trying to play both in front and behind," LaRue said.
Senior forward Dean'na Mitchelson came in for LaRue, but the Cavs trailed at halftime, 33-41.
The Cavalier women caught their rhythm right away in the second half. A driving lay-up and two three-pointers by LaRue rejuvenated the team, and a three-pointer from redshirt freshman Anna Crosswhite gave Virginia the lead they held onto until the final buzzer.
Virginia shot well from long range and hit 10-of-20 three-pointers. Volnaya had four, and even LaRue, normally an inside player, made three on four attempts.
LaRue "has always had the green light [to shoot for three], as long as she makes good decisions," Ryan said, "and she knows what that is."
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Ryan also commended Mitchelson, who registered 14 points and 10 rebounds.
The Cavaliers received strong play from their inexperienced point guards. Virginia has five players who can play point guard on its roster, but Telisha Quarles and Safiya Grant did not play and Katie Tracy is still with the women's soccer team, leaving only freshmen Chelsea Whitaker and Anna Prillaman.
Although Whitaker, who is recovering from knee surgery, was expected to miss the game, she played 26 minutes and contributed five assists.
"What's amazing is that she's only had three days of practice," Ryan said. "She's come a long way real quickly."
As a starter, Prillaman had five points and three rebounds. However, Ryan said she still would prefer to have Prillaman play two guard, though that depends on Whitaker's health.
When asked to judge her performance in her first competitive game since tearing her ACL in December 1999, Whitaker smiled and said: "I thought it was a good game."
Heading into their second exhibition game and a challenging preseason, the Cavs hope to be able to say the same again.
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