The Colonial women won Sunday’s game against Temple with 52 second-half points in a 78-67 win. Forward Elena Vishniakova scored a career-high 25 points and guard Kristeena Alexander dogged Temple’s quick guard Stacey Smalls for all 40 minutes of the game, forcing Temple’s leading scorer to give up the ball at critical times late in the second half.
The Colonials trailed for about 30 minutes of the game, but were never down by more than seven points. GW threatened throughout the game to overtake Temple’s fragile lead. But Temple’s Lisa Jakubowicz and forward Ieesah Turnage proved too strong under the glass.
With about 10 minutes remaining, just after Alexander hit a 15-foot pull-up jumper cutting Temple’s lead to three, Jakubowicz fouled Vishniakova under the board. Vishniakova missed her free throw but got the rebound and hit a jumpshot that pulled GW to within one point, 49-48.
“I told myself, `It’s about time to step up and play my game and dominate on the court,'” Vishniakova said. “Also, my teammates inspired me a lot. Especially Leslie Carlson and Petra (Dubovcova).”
After a Temple basket by Jakubowicz, Vishniakova hit another jumpshot from close range.
“Elena just kept coming out there,” GW coach Joe McKeown said. “She’s been up and down this year. It’s just good for her. Just to feel confident.”
GW took the lead for the first time off a Lindsey Davidson pass to Alexander, who hit a three-pointer. GW quickly built on a 54-51 lead. Within a couple minutes, the Colonials surged to an 11-point lead on mostly close-range shots from Vishniakova and Dubovcova.
“I’m just really proud in the way we battled back,” McKeown said. “You know, we were down 10, 11 points. We’re not used to being in that position. It showed a lot of heart.”
The Colonials dug themselves into a hole with weak defense in the first half. They had difficulty containing Smalls, who finished with 18 points, and Turnage, who finished with 11 points.
GW shot 40 percent in the first half, a considerable improvement from 30 percent shooting percentage against Duquesne Wednesday night. But the team did not attempt any three-pointers Sunday. In the second half, the Colonials returned to shoot 67 percent.
“I think we underestimated Temple. Since we’re number one, we just decided to keep our poise, and do our best, and that’s what we did and that’s why we won,” Vishniakova said.
NOTES: A scare in the first half quieted the already-silent 856 fans. Just after tip-off a small crowd of five or six people slowly gathered around a young boy who was lying across the blue seats under the Temple basket. More people gathered around including University Police officers and paramedics. The boy, a GW ballboy, was unconscience after a seizure, according to Director of Athletics Jack Kvancz. The boy was wheeled out on a stretcher shortly after regaining consciousness.
Assistant Sports Editor
