Gulls Ready to Make Playoff Run

February 20, 2006

Feb. 20, 2006

BEVERLY, MA - Endicott College women's basketball coach Jen Lucey has taken the program to a new level in just three seasons. But neither the coach nor the Gulls are satisfied.

Endicott made its deepest run ever in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Playoffs last season, appearing the semifinals, but the team wants the ultimate prize. The Gulls begin that quest Tuesday night when they host Curry College in the first round of the CCC Tournament.

Endicott's 13-4 conference record (16-9 overall) was good enough to earn the No. 2 seed in the North Division. The Colonels snuck in as the No. 3 seed in the South Division with a record of 7-11 (8-17 overall). The Gulls upended Curry, 76-50, in the regular season led by senior co-captains Jodi Brown (Coventry, RI/Coventry) and Liz Yuneman (Middle Village, NY/St. Francis), who scored 22 and 13 respectively.

Yuneman and Brown have been the catalysts all season. The two backcourt players rank among the top CCC scorers thanks to their prolific three-point shooting while Brown is a steals and assists leader. Sophomore Sara Doherty (Somerville, MA/Arlington Catholic), freshman center Nicole Young (Rockland, MA/Rockland) and sophomore point guard Aubrey Drugan (Salem, NH/Bishop Guertin) are the Gulls other starters.

Doherty brings a hardnosed style, drive to the bucket style of play to the team. She returned for the season finale after missing more than three weeks with an injury while Drugan compliments Brown and Yuneman. She can shoot and distribute the ball and does not commit many turnovers. Young is a menacing player in the paint. She is a conference leader in blocks (1.50) and rebounding (6.7) who averages 9.3 points per game.

Junior forward Paris Sanders (Needham, MA/Minuteman Regional) is one of the first players off a deep Endicott bench for Lucey. She is a high-tempo physical player who averages 1.36 blocks and is second on the team in rebounding (4.7). Senior forward Sara Voigt (Kingston, NH/Sanborn Regional) has been a spot-starter. She is another tough competitor who has a knack for grabbing offensive boards.

Young, Sanders, Voigt and freshman Hayley Janelle (Madbury, NH/Oyster River) form a potent power game for the Gulls while junior guard Carly Haynes (Laconia, NH/Laconia) shares time with Drugan, bolstering the point guard position. And freshman Nicole Duchesne (Plaistow, NH/Central Catholic) gives Endicott another outside threat.

Endicott is the second scoring offense in the CCC, averaging 64 points per game. The Gulls are also the second best scoring defense at 53.6 points allowed.

The CCC Playoffs will continue Thursday night and culminate in the CCC Title game Saturday afternoon.