Rochester College Athletics - News

[Women's Basketball] Women's Basketball Inks Morgan for 2013

Jordan Ackerman — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 18:40:00 -0600

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. -- On Monday, Apr. 1, Rochester College Women's Basketball head coach Eric Sims announced the signing of Lake Shore High School senior Sydney Morgan.

Morgan joins sister Jordan on the RC hoops team after enjoying a highly decorated high school career where she was very successful in four sports. During her four years of high school, Morgan earned 13 varsity letters.

On the basketball court, Morgan was a two-time 1st Team All-Conference and 1st Team All-County selection, 3rd team Dream Team in 2012 and 1st team Dream Team in 2013. Morgan also earned Honorable Mention All-State honors in her senior year on top of the two consecutive Offensive Most Valuable Player awards and was selected as one of the top 100 players in the state of Michigan.

Morgan set the Lake Shore school record in Most Rebounds in a game and scored a career high 26 points against Mt. Clemens High School.

On the Shorian's volleyball team, Morgan was a two-time Honorable Mention All-County selection, 1st Team All-Conference, Offensive Most Valuable Player her junior year and Most Valuable Player in her senior year.

As a player on the soccer team, Morgan was a two-time 1st team All-County selection.

Finally, as the first female in Lake Shore history to play football, Morgan was the first female to score points on the football field and was selected as the Special Teams Player of the Year.

Coach Sims on Morgan:

"We are excited to have Sydney joining our program next season. She comes from a very successful program at Lake Shore. We expect Sydney to compete for playing time in the post right away, especially with Sam Tomaschko graduating. Sydney already has a pretty good understanding of how to play inside. She will be a welcome addition to the legacy of post players that we are building here at Rochester College. I know she is excited to be able to play with her sister Jordan, who will be a sophomore for us next year."

[Women's Basketball] Women's Basketball Among Best in Nation Academically

Jordan Ackerman — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:15:00 -0600

SIOUX CITY, Iowa - The NAIA has announced that 178 Division II Women's Basketball student-athletes have been named 2013 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes. Davenport (Mich.), Morningside (Iowa), Olivet Nazarene (Ill.), Rochester (Mich.), Saint Mary (Kan.) and Tennessee Wesleyan tied for the lead amongst all institutions with five honorees.

In order to be nominated by an institution's head coach, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved a junior academic status to qualify for this honor.

The Rochester College Women's Basketball team honorees include seniors Ke'ala Ka'aikala, Ka'imana Ka'aikala, Sam Tomaschko, Erika Wasson, and junior Lauren Pomoski.

Along with being a three-time All American, Tomaschko added this prestigious award to her resume in her final season. "Sam has long been a great player on the court, but a major goal of hers was to be named to a list like this before she graduated," said Head Coach Eric Sims. "She is as proud of this as she is of her 3 USCAA first team All-American honors."

Pomoski exits the 2013 season after a rough year in which she was sidelined by injury. "Lauren hasn't been able to play because of medical issues so far, but that hasn't kept her from being a star in the classroom," said Coach Sims about his nationally recognized student-athlete.

The Ka'aikala sisters not only led on the court this season with their play, but they set the standard for future Warrior players with their academic excellence. "This was a very important goal of Ka'imana's and to achieve this sets a great example of how hard work pays off. Ke'ala is going to be a doctor and I have never had to question where academics lie in her list of priorities," said Coach Sims.

Rounding out Coach Sims' group of academics is Wasson. "Erika just entered our nursing program this season, which is very demanding and intense. Her getting this academic honor is a testament to how hard she works, since many girls entering the nursing program struggle a bit with the transition."

The Warriors landed five honorees on the Daktronics All-Academic team, which is the most in the NAIA Division II along with six other institutions. "This is very exciting for us as a program," said Coach Sims. "It really shows how important academics are to our program. As important as basketball is, these girls are here for an education and to get their degree."

Coach Sims said that he spends a lot of time stressing the importance of academics. To help his team achieve academically, he conducts team study sessions along with bi-weekly grade checks. Coach Sims also praised Rochester College for their help with the student-athletes. "Rochester College really helps us in the facilities they offer such as the Athletic Study Lounge and the ACE Tutoring Lab."

Aside from landing 5 student athletes on the Daktronics All-Academic Team, the Warriors also topped the charts with eight USCAA Academic All-Americans announced at the USCAA Nationals last week.

When asked about the academic success of his team, Coach Sims described the type of women he recruits to Rochester College. "We really try to recruit great people to play in our program and sometimes they happen to be great students coming in, but in other instances girls actually end up with a higher GPA in college than they did in high school."

As a whole, the entire Rochester College Athletic program has shown great improvement over the past couple years. "Our student athletes as a whole are doing very well off the court. Our retention numbers, incoming act scores, cumulative grade point averages, and deans list recipients are at all time highs," said Athletic Director Klint Pleasant.

Pleasant is very excited, in particular, about the Women's basketball team and their success in the classroom. "This is a great accomplishment for the women's basketball team and our entire athletic program. It speaks to the caliber of student athletes we're pursuing and signing. Our coaches do a great job of stressing the academic piece as the primary piece. Our women's basketball team has led the way and they make us proud. We seem to have a special group of young women that are doing good work on and off the court," said Pleasant.

[Women's Basketball] Lady Warriors Eliminated From USCAA Nationals

Jordan Ackerman — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 14:45:00 -0600

UNIONTOWN, PA -- After another solid season, the Rochester College Lady Warriors were eliminated in the semi-finals of the USCAA National Tournament to #1 seed Daemen College by a final score of 76-57.

The Warriors held tight in the first four minutes of play highlighted by three pointers from seniors Ka'imana Ka'aikala (Stanton, MI/Stanton) and Sam Tomaschko (Romeo, MI/Romeo).

The first fifteen minutes of play included 12 lead changes until the Wild Cats pulled away at the 5:13 mark.

At the end of the first half, the Warriors trailed 37-28.

At the start of the second half, the Warriors came out firing led by junior Ke'ala Ka'aikala (Stanton, MI/Stanton) who knocked down two jumpers to pull the Warriors deficit to 7.

With 15:43 to go, the Wild Cats would add to their lead by going on an 8-point run.

The Wild Cats largest lead was 22 until the Warriors mounted a comeback.

At the 5:00 mark, the Warriors would threaten again by pulling within 10 after Tomaschko hit a short jumper, but the Wild Cats would answer with an 11-0 run to put the game out of reach.

The Warriors were led, as they have been in many games of her career at Rochester College, by Tomaschko with the double-double, 15 points and 10 rebounds. Tomaschko also had 4 blocks in her final game in the crimson and white.

Ka'imana Ka'aikala scored 13 points and grabbed 8 rebounds in her final game while junior Jazzmone Russell (Hurricane, WV/Hurricane) added 10 points.

As a team the Warriors shot 34.5% from the field, 31% from beyond the three-point line, and 61.5 from the free-throw stripe.

The Warriors finished 14-15 on the season.

Daemen College advances to the Championship game to be played tomorrow at 4:15pm est.

[Women's Basketball] Second Half Burst Push Warriors Past Lynchburg

Jordan Ackerman — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:35:00 -0600

UNIONTOWN, PA -- The Rochester College Women's basketball team used a second half push to win their round one game 55-43 against the University of Virginia Lynchburg.

The Warriors struggled to knock down shots in the first half and trailed for the first 14:30 until senior three-time USCAA All American Sam Tomaschko hit a jumper to put the Warriors ahead by one.

Lynchburg would retake the lead and go ahead by 4 with 2:30 remaining in the half.

At the half, Head Coach Eric Sims motivated his Warriors to come out and play a perfect second half. "I basically told them that we can't let them be tougher than us. We had to respond and dig deep and be perfectionists about the fundamentals of the game," said Coach Sims.

On their next two consecutive possessions, the Warriors connected on two big shots. Ke'ala Ka'aikala (Stanton, MI/Stanton) hit a short jumper before junior Jazzmone Russell (Hurricane, WV/Hurricane) threw down a three-pointer to put the Warriors ahead by one.

Lynchburg would not go away before the half by scoring with :17 on the clock to go ahead before the half.

At the half, the Warriors trailed by one, 16-15.

The second half was a different stories as the Warriors came out on fire.

In the first six minutes of play, the Warriors went on a 10-2 run before Lynchburg would make an attempt to come back by taking advantage from the free throw line at the 6:04 mark.

With 2:22 remaining, the Warriors pushed their lead to 20 (51-31) on a Ka'aikala free throw.

Lynchburg would not pose a threat for the remainder of the contest with the Warriors sealing the deal with a 55-43 victory.

The Warriors used their 39 rebounds to wrap up the victory compared to the opposition's 30. The Warriors shot 40% from the field and 33.3% from behind the three point line.

Senior Lexy Newsom (Rochester Hills, MI/Adams) led Warriors with 16 points, 13 of which came in the second half. Ka'aikala and Tomaschko added 9 points and 11 rebounds apiece to pace the Warriors.

Coach Sims is happy with the play of his team, but is ready to prep for tomorrow's game. "I'm excited to win our first round game, it's usually the scariest. Now we have a day off to prepare for the #1 seed, Daemen."

Saturday the Warriors will take the court in semi-final action against #1 Daemen College at 1pm.

[Women's Basketball] Women Drop Opening Game of A.I.I. Tournament

Jordan Ackerman — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 17:20:00 -0600

From A.I.I. Tournament S.I.D. Andrew Gideon:

28th ranked Valley City improves to 23-6 on the season and advances to Saturday's 1 pm A.I.I. semifinal game vs 22nd ranked Mayville State.

Rochester drops to 13-14 on the season.

To get to the Civic Center in Jamestown for the A.I.I. Tournament, Rochester drove 19 1/2 hours, while Valley City State was just 30 minutes away.
In the first 10 minutes, the game had 3 ties and 8 lead changes.
Rochester led 14-13 with 10:24 remaining.
For the next 5:23, the Vikings created some separation by scoring 14 straight points to lead 27-14.
VCSU would keep that 13 point lead into the half at 38-25 as Brittany Lehner scored 8 first half points on 4-7 shooting.
The Vikings netted 44.8% of their shots in the first 20 minutes compared to 32.0% for the Warriors.
Rochester committed 12 first half turnovers and VCSU had 8.
Rochester did hit 5 three's from long range in the first half to keep the score within reach.

The Warriors put in some fight with an 8-0 run from 17:11 to 15:54 of the second half to make the score 40-35.
VCSU led 42-35, but 3 straight threes within a minute from 12:45 to 11:47 by the Warriors gave Rochester their first lead in the second half 44-42.
The game bacame a battle to the finish from that point.

VCSU would win the battle, thanks in part to 4 made free throws in the last minute.
VCSU hit on 18-21 free throws, compared to just 6-10 for Rochester.
Rochester's best weapon was the long ball - the Warriors drained 10 three's.
However, they also missed 19 that led to a 38-32 rebound advantage for VCSU.

Brittany Lehner led VCSU with 14 points. She was the only Viking in double figures.
However, the Vikings showed depth and played 13 women.]
The bench scored 18 points for the Vikings.
Stephanie Pedersen hauled down 9 rebounds and passed out 4 assists to lead those categories.

Sam Tomaschko netted 11 points, while Jazzmone Russell scored 10 for the Warriors.

Rochester College Head Coach Eric Sims on today's game:

"Valley City did a great job of taking away what we wanted to do offensively in the first half. They also made some huge shots to get out to a big halftime lead. Us having 4 girls with 2 fouls each didn't help in the first half but our bench helped us stay within striking distance. In the second half we did a good job of executing our offensive and had some big defensive stops to take the lead. We held them to 4 made field goals in the second half. We had some chances down the stretch but just couldn't get a shot to go and they made some free throws. Overall, I was very proud of the way we competed, especially this being the first year at this tournament for us. Hopefully we can build on this heading to the uscaa tournament next week and into next season."

Long box and play by play: http://www.dakstats.com/Websync/Pages/GameBook/GameBook.aspx?seasonID=NAIWBB_2012&sg=WBB&compID=160622

[Women's Basketball] Women Set to Play Opening Round of A.I.I. Tournament

Jordan Ackerman — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 09:25:00 -0600

The Rochester College Women's basketball team is gearing up for the A.I.I. Tournament in Jamestown, North Dakota. This season is the first season the Warriors have been eligible to compete in the A.I.I. Tournament. The tournament is Feb. 22-24. Tournament play opens up Feb. 22 with the first game being played at 1:00 p.m. The sixth seeded Warriors will be playing in the first game against third seeded Valley City State.

When asked how the team is feeling about receiving a bid to the A.I.I. conference tournament, Head Coach Eric Sims said, "We are very excited that we were invited to the AII conference tournament, especially since it is our first year to be eligible for it."

The Warriors ended their regular season with a 13-13 record. In comparison to last season's 22-15 record, the Warriors faced many challenges this season but were able to surface to the top despite their 13-13 finish. Several players stepped up in games to help the Warriors succeed. Senior Sam Tomaschko (Romeo, MI/Romeo) has played a large role for the Warriors this season and contributed much to the success they have had. Tomaschko is ranked 4^th in Division II in blocks per game and ranked 5^th in total blocks.

"Sam Tomaschko is the focal point for us both offensively and defensively. She is such a threat both inside and outside. She also leads in rebounding, blocks, and steals. Her defensive presence really sets the tone for each game," said Coach Sims.

Coach Sims also sited the play of several other players. "Senior Lexy Newsom (Rochester Hills, MI/Adams) continues to run the show from the point guard position and is having a great year shooting the ball. Senior Ka'imana Ka'aikala (Stanton, MI/Lakeview) is a huge threat for us from the 3-point line. Junior Ke'ala Ka'aikala (Stanton, MI/Lakeview) has had a good year scoring both inside and outside. Junior Jazzmone Russell (Hurricane, WV/Hurricane) guards the best perimeter player for our opponent every game. Junior Meagan Heiden (Rochester Hills, MI/OCC) gives us scoring punches off of the bench," said Coach Sims.

The Valley City State Vikings Women's basketball team, out of North Dakota, ended regular season play with a 22-6 record. The Vikings are ranked 6^th in Division II in total rebound defense and 11^th in field goal percentage. Junior Brittany Lehner is the Viking's leading scorer and rebounder with 12.82 ppg and 4.96 rpg, respectively. Lehner also ranks 6^th in Division II in field goal percentage.

Other leaders are sophomore Sadiqah Jihad averaging 3.61 assists per game and senior Courtney Titus averaging 2.36 steals per game.

"Valley City is very well rounded. They have the ability to score in the post, from shooting 3-pointers and are also good at getting into the lane. Defensively, I've seen them play man and zone very aggressively and will trap full court sometimes. They shoot a very good percentage offensively and don't give up many points on the defense" said Coach Sims.

The Warriors will open up play against Valley City on Friday, Feb. 22 at 1:00 p.m. If the Warriors win their first game, they move on to the semifinals and will play second seeded Maryville State (20-4) at 1:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon.

Coach Sims is optimistic about his team succeeding in the tournament. "The first thing we have to get over is that we need to play to win, not just that we are happy to be there. This should give us the confidence that we can compete with anyone. But our identity this year has been our defense. We have to make sure we have the mindset to make every pass, shot, and dribble difficult, to make our opponent shoot contested shots in uncomfortable spots," finished Sims.

Stay tuned to rochestercollegewarriors.com for results.

Live action links: LIVE VIDEO LIVE RADIO LIVE STATS

[Women's Basketball] Misch Inks With Warrior Hoops

Jordan Ackerman — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 07:55:00 -0600

CLINTON TWP., Mich. -- On Friday, Feb. 8 Rochester College Women's Basketball Head Coach Eric Sims announced the signing of Chippewa Valley High School senior Tiffany Misch.

Misch enjoyed a stellar career under Big Red's Head Coach Jackie Maurer. Her honors included All Macomb Area Conference, Second Team All-Macomb County, and was voted as her team Most Valuable Player in her sophomore season.

In her junior season at Chippewa Valley, Misch was not only voted again as her teams' Most Valuable Player, but she notched All-Macomb Area Conference, All-Star basketball team tier one honors, First team All-Macomb County honors, and broke school records for steals in a game (10), steals in a season (36) as well as two-point field goals in a game (10).

The 5'5" guard is also a top-notch honor roll student earning All-MAC Academic honors.

Coach Sims on Misch:

"We are very excited that Tiffany has chosen to continue her studies and play basketball at Rochester College. She is going to have a huge impact on our program from the first time she steps on the floor. She has the ability to score from driving to the rim, shooting pull-up jump shots and 3-pointers. She is also a great passer and defender. She has had an incredible high school career and comes to RC as one of the most decorated players we've ever had. She played with some solid teams under Coach Maurer at Chippewa Valley and trained with Greg Grant. I am excited to see where she will help take this program in the next four years."

[Women's Basketball] Women Bounce Back After Tough Loss

Jordan Ackerman — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 11:10:00 -0600

BERRIEN SPRINGS, Mich. – After dropping a tough 52-48 game to NCAA DIII Albion College (6-15), the Rochester College Women's basketball team earned a crucial victory over USCAA opponent Andrews University on Thursday night.

Against Albion College, the Warriors played a solid first half led by the inside play of senior Sam Tomaschko (Romeo, MI/Romeo) who dominated the paint. At the half, the Warriors led 26-20.

Albion's halftime adjustments would be the key to their second half victory. The Britons shut down the inside play of Tomaschko and forced her to work from outside the three-point arc where she would finish 3-6. The Brittons forced 20 Warrior turnovers with 10 steals.

Tomaschko's 16 points and 7 rebounds led the Warriors. The Warriors finished the game shooting 31.4% from the field and 30% from behind the three-point arc.

"Although we gave up a couple of easy shots at the beginning of the game, I thought we started pretty good, especially on offense," said head coach Eric Sims.

"We were getting really good opportunities in our offense, we just didn't make enough of them. Albion really turned up their defense in the second half and we had trouble scoring, but because we were defending well we were still able to keep it close. We had chances down the stretch but they did really well at the free throw line to keep their lead."

The Warriors bounced back against Andrews University by putting together a solid game both offensively and defensively.

Once again, the Warriors jumped ahead early to the tune of a 33-17 halftime lead. Coach Sims rallied his troops at the half, which proved to be the answer as the Warriors cruised to a 61-37 victory.

Precise outside shooting had the Cardinals playing catch-up the entire contest led by junior Meagan Heiden (Rochester Hills, MI/Oakland CC) who was a perfect 2-2 for three.

The Warriors had five players connect successfully from behind the arc. As a team, the Warriors shot 7-16.

Leading the Warriors to their 10^th victory was junior Ke'ala Ka'aikala (Stanton, MI/Stanton). Ka'aikala scored 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists. Senior Lexy Newsom (Rochester, MI/Adams) added 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals.

Also putting up solid numbers for the Warriors was senior Erika Wasson (Romulus, MI/University of Toledo) and Heiden who both scored 10 points apiece. Tomaschko finished the game with 9 rebounds.

Coach Sims was pleased with the play of his team and acknowledged the play of the Cardinals. ""Andrews presented a good challenge for us. Their program is on the rise. They did a good job of slowing the tempo but we defended and rebounded well and were able to get an important win," said Sims.

The Warriors head to Indiana University Northwest today to take on the Red Hawks. Game time is set for 3pm.

For tonight's game info and matchup information, visit the Rochester College Women's Basketball Dakstats page.

[Women's Basketball] Warriors Struggle Against Saints

Jordan Ackerman — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 10:05:00 -0600

ADRIAN, Mich.- The Rochester College Women's Basketball team (9-11) fell short against the Saints of Siena Heights (16-7) by a final score of 70-44.

The Saints jumped out in front right away with a three-point play and would hold the lead the entire contest. The Warriors would pull within five with 5:18 to go in the first half.

At the conclusion of the first half the Warriors trailed 33-21 and would not be able to cut the deficit for the remainder of the contest.

Senior Sam Tomaschko (Romeo, MI/Romeo) led the Warriors by scoring 16 points and grabbing 10 rebounds earning her a double-double. Tomaschko also had four blocks on the night.

Also tallying a double-double in the scorebook was senior Ke'ala Ka'aikala (Stanton, MI/Stanton) adding 14 points and 11 rebounds.

As a team the Warriors shot 24.6% percent from the field, a season low 7.7% from behind the three-point line, and 80% from the free throw line.

The Saints shot 45.6% from the field, 42.9% from three-point land, and 75% from the free throw stripe.

The Warriors will host Albion College Wednesday, Jan. 30 at Oakland Christian High School. Tipoff is set for 7pm.

With seven games remaining in the season, the Warriors are looking to go on a run and clinch a spot in the USCAA National tournament. The Warriors are coming off of a 3-3 stretch with a wins over Briarcliff College, Penn State- Fayette, and Moody Bible College.

------------------

Remaining Schedule

January 30 vs Albion College, 7pm

January 31 @ Andrews College, 8pm

February 2 @ Indiana University Northwest, 3pm

February 6 @ Kalamazoo College, 5:30pm

February 9 @ Hope College, 8pm

February 16 vs Kuyper College, 3pm

February 20 vs Andrews College, 7:30pm

[Women's Basketball] Tomaschko Nets 25 in Warriors Loss

Jordan Ackerman — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:15:00 -0600

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. - The Rochester College Women's basketball team (10-9) dropped a heart breaker to NCAA DIII Olivet College last night (Jan. 16) by a final score of 62-58. The Warriors led for majority of the game but could not hang on for the victory.

Junior Ke'ala Ka'aikala started the scoring for the Warriors at the 17:29 mark. The Warriors would not allow a basket until 5:10 had elapsed in the game. The Warriors continued to control the first half and went into the locker room ahead by 12, 36-24.

The Comets exploded in the second half by going on a 10-2 run until Ka'aikala stopped the bleeding by knocking down a three.

The teams battled for the remainder of much of the second half until the 3:33 mark when the Comets took over. After a 14-4 run, the Comets earned their 11th win of the season.

Tomaschko's 25 points and 10 rebounds earned her another double double to lead the crimson and white. Ka'aikala added 9 points and 8 rebounds while sister Ka'imana Ka'aikala scored 6 points on top of her 7 rebounds.

"I have to give a ton of credit to Olivet. They played hard and never gave up even after the great start we had. They really took us out of what we wanted to do offensively and were very aggressive. We really struggled guarding their size," said Head Coach Eric Sims.

The Warriors shot 30.6% from the field and 69.2% from the free throw line. The Comets shot 42.4% from the field and 54.5 from the free throw line.

The Warriors drop to 10-9 before hitting the road to take on NCAA DIII Calvin College this Saturday, Jan. 19. Game time is set for 3pm.

[Women's Basketball] Women Crush Huskies at Home

Jordan Ackerman — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 16:20:00 -0600

ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. – After falling to NCAA DI Oakland University last week, the Rochester College Women's Basketball team (7-8) came to play in front of their home crowd and won easily over George Brown College, 69-32.

At the conclusion of the first half, the Warriors were ahead 40-8. All the Warrior's 15 players played at some point in the contest and 13 players scored points on the evening.

Senior Erika Wasson (Romulus, MI/University of Toledo) led the scoring brigade with 12 points. Senior Sam Tomaschko (Romeo, MI/Romeo) chipped in 11 points and 9 rebounds while Ke'ala Ka'aikala scored 9 points and gathered 8 rebounds.

As a team, the Warriors shot 42.9% from the field and 28.6% from beyond the three-point arc. The Warriors held the Huskies to 25.5% from the field and 0% from beyond the arc.

The Huskies turned the ball over 24 times to the Warriors 23.

The Warriors head to Briarcliff College tomorrow night before heading to Penn State- Fayette on Sunday to make a statement in the USCAA as they look to make their third straight appearance in the USCAA Nationals.

[Women's Basketball] Warriors Hold on to Lead for NAIA Win

Jordan Ackerman — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:05:00 -0600

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. – With less than one minute to go in regulation, the Rochester College Women's basketball team (6-7) allowed the Lourdes University Gray Wolves (3-11) to pull within 1 point. The Warriors not only were able to hang on to their lead, they mounted a late game run to earn their 6th win of the season after the 50-45 final.

The Warriors went on an early 10-2 run in the first half of play by forcing 6 Gray Wolves turnovers. Junior Meagan Heiden (Rochester Hills, MI/OCC) would get the Warriors off to the quick start scoring 4 of her 9 points in the first 5 minutes of play.

With 12:38 to go in the half, the Gray Wolves would go on a 7-0 run and pull within 1.

The fight would continue for the remainder of the half with both teams going on runs. The Warriors would have the 26-25 advantage at the half despite a last second Gray Wolves three pointer.

After the break, the Warriors would score the first 10 points of the second half to take a 36-25 lead. The Gray Wolves would again come back with a 14-2 run and take the lead with 8:00 on the clock.

Head Coach Eric Sims rallied his troops to a 7-point run to take a 6-point lead. The Gray Wolves, yet again, had the answer and pulled within one with 1:44 on the clock.

The Warriors would put the game away with clutch free throw shooting by junior Ke'ala Ka'aikala (Stanton, MI/Stanton) and senior Lexy Newsom (Rochester Hills, MI/Adams) both were successful on their attempts.

"I have to compliment Lourdes on their effort. They made some big plays down the stretch but we were able to hold them off," said Head Coach Eric Sims. "I think our zone did a good job on them but we had trouble knocking down shots. It was a nice NAIA win for our program and hopefully helped us get ready for the difficult upcoming games."

The Warriors finished the night shooting 30% from the field while the Gray Wolves shot 32.6%

Senior Sam Tomaschko (Romeo, MI/Romeo) led the Warriors with 11 points and 8 rebounds. Ka'akala scored 9 points.

The Warriors head across town to compete against NCAA DI Oakland University. Game time is slated for 6:30pm.

[Women's Basketball] Women's Basketball Falls in Tournament

Jordan Ackerman — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:15:00 -0600

MARION, Ind. -- The Rochester College Women's basketball team (5-7) ran into some tough competition last weekend at the Indiana Wesleyan University tournament. The Warriors dropped games to tournament host IWU and Taylor University. Both teams are currently ranked in the top 13 of the NAIA DII Polls. IWU holds down the number two spot for the second week in a row while Taylor is ranked 13th.

In game one, the Warriors showed they are capable of hanging with the country's best by going into the locker room only trailing by 12, 33-21. IWU would pull away in the second half on the back of Paige Smith who scored 18 points. The Warriors did make things interesting by pulling within 8 at the 4:47 mark, but it was too little too late as the Warriors fell by a final score of 60-44.

"Tonight was a very tough game," said Head Coach Eric Sims. "Indiana Wesleyan is a very good team and are well coached. They were very aggressive getting into the lane and feeding the post to Paige Smith. We had a lot of trouble keeping them off the boards. We did a good job defensively in holding them to 30% on their home court."

The Warriors finished the game shooting 34% from the field to the IWU 31%. The Warriors were led by junior Meagan Heiden (Rochester Hills, MI/OCC) who scored 16 points to go along with her 10 rebounds. Senior Lexy Newsom (Rochester Hills, MI/Adams) added 9 points while senior Sam Tomaschko (Romeo, MI/Romeo) scored 8 points and grabbed 6 rebounds.

In game two action the Warriors dropped a 69-50 final to Taylor University. The Warriors could not hang on in the first half down by 11 at the break, 31-20. The high point of the contest for the Warriors was displayed in the rebounding stat line as the Warriors out rebounded TU 50-41. The 28% shooting percentage proved to be the difference maker at the end of the contest.

Heiden led the Warriors again with 13 points and 5 rebounds. Senior Ka'imana Ka'aikala (Stanton, MI/Stanton) scored 14 points while her sister Ke'ala had 6 points and 13 rebounds.

"We turned the ball over too much today and didn't take advantage of the open shots we got. We have a lot to work on before our next game, which is against Lourdes," said Sims.

The Warriors host Lourdes University on Dec. 19. Tip-off is slated for 7:30pm.

[Women's Basketball] Warriors Dominate in Win Over Cougars

Jordan Ackerman — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 13:40:00 -0600

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- It was a one-sided game last night as the Rochester College Women's basketball team (5-5) won big over Spring Arbor University by a final score of 58-38. The Warriors came into the game looking for revenge after dropping a nail biter to the Cougars the last time these two teams met.

The Warriors did not waste any time as junior Jazzmone Russell (Hurricane, WV/Hurricane) fired up a successful three-pointer less than 30 seconds into the contest. The Cougars would kick back and take the lead at the 12:08 mark, but it was all Warriors for the remainder of the contest.

With 2:13 remaining in the first half, Russell connected on another three-point attempt to put the Warriors ahead by 16, their biggest lead in the first half.

In the second half, the Cougars mounted a comeback and pulled within 10 at the 12:13 mark, but the Warriors would silence the visiting crowd by going on a 5- point run highlighted by senior Erika Wasson's (Romulus, MI/Toledo) three-pointer.

The Warriors would eventually lead by 23 with 1:28 to go and went on to win, earning their 5th win of the season.

Senior Sam Tomaschko (Romeo, MI/Romeo) led the way by scoring 16 points on top of her 9 rebounds and 4 steals. Senior Ka'imana Ka'aikala (Stanton, MI/Stanton), Russell, and Wasson each score 9 points apiece. Ka'aikala also dished out 5 assists, 3 behind senior Lexy Newsom (Rochester Hills, MI/Adams) who led the team in assists with 8.

Head Coach Eric Sims was happy with the way his team played. "I was very proud of our effort. We didn't take any possessions off and that is a testament to the determination of the team. We were a little short handed with injuries, but that allowed other girls who haven't had tons of playing time yet this year step up and they did," said Sims.

"Erika Wasson really did a good job in extended minutes. She played very good defense, rebounded well and knocked down some shots. Spring Arbor put an extended 1-3-1 zone on us and we had to adjust, but we were able to hit some shots and continued to play well defensively. We leaned on Sam Tomaschko both offensively and defensively and she responded like All-Americans do. And as always, everything begins and ends with our senior point guard Lexy Newsom. She continues to be my general on the floor. We ask a lot of Lexy and she has been doing it as a starter for her whole career."

As a team, the Warriors shot 23/52 (44.2%) from the field and 3/8 (37.5%) from the free throw line. The Warriors out rebounded the Cougars 36-30.

This weekend the Warriors head to Indiana Wesleyan University to play in IWU Tournament.

[Women's Basketball] Women's Basketball Drops Two

Jordan Ackerman — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 18:50:00 -0600

WINONA LAKE, Ind. -- The Rochester College women's basketball team fell to 3-4 this weekend with two losses at the Grace College Classic.

In game one action, the Warriors played against tournament host, Grace College. The Warriors took a 68-44 loss.

Down 32-22 at halftime, the Warriors cut the decifit to 36-33 5 minutes into the second half, but the Lancers pulled away down the stretch. The final score was the Lancer's biggest lead of the game.

The Warriors shot a season low 17% in the second half and 25% for the game. Grace college finished the game shooting 39%.

Senior Ka'imana Ka'aikala (Stanton, MI/Lakeview) continues to lead the Warriors scoring 10 points while gathering 13 rebounds. Senior Sam Tomaschko (Romeo, MI/Romeo) had 8 points and 8 rebounds. Grace College was led by Allison Kauffman who had 15 points and 8 rebounds.

"I thought we played hard and made a good charge at the beginning of the second half. We got a lot of open looks but just didn't knock them down," said Head Coach Eric Sims. "Their defensive pressure in the second half took us out of what we wanted to do offensively. We had trouble on the defensive boards in the second half and had too many careless turnovers."

In game two, the Warriors lost to the NAIA DII #4 ranked Indiana Wesleyan 55-32.

The Warriors held on tight in the first half, only down 3 points at halftime, 20-17. The second half was a different story as the Warriors could not keep pace with the IWU high powered offense.

The Warriors were without injured starters Lexy Newsom (Rochester Hills, MI/Adams) and Nikki Heim (Almont, MI/SC4).

The Warrior offense finished 28% from the field in the game and were out rebounded 37-25. IWU shot 41%. Tomaschko led RC with 8 points and 8 rebounds. Paige Smith led IWU with 13 points.

"We really competed in the first half with a very good team. Both teams were playing good defense making it tough to score. We just didn't respond to adversity in the second half. We continue to struggle knocking down open shots. I'm proud of how hard we played, especially being short handed, but we need to be able to respond favorably when our opponent makes a run and play a whole 40 minutes," finished Coach Sims.

The Warriors travel to Kuyper College on Tuesday, Nov. 20. Tip-off is slated for 5pm.