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University of New Hampshire Athletics
Amanda Torres is the leader of the Wildcats.
1/4/2022 1:44:00 PM | Women's Basketball, UNH Insider
Women's Hoops Opens League Play at Home vs. Vermont Wednesday
DURHAM, N.H. – The nonconference portion of the schedule is complete and a couple of postponements have delayed the America East opener, but the University of New Hampshire women's basketball team is set to open league play with a home game against Vermont on Wednesday night at 6 in Lundholm Gymnasium.
"It's go time now," said second-year head coach Kelsey Hogan. "Time to prove what we're all about. I'm excited and I know the team is too. We're feeling recharged from a little holiday break."
Tickets for all UNH home games are available at www.unhwildcats.com and by calling the Whittemore Center Box office at 603-862-4000.
Under the school's COVID-19 regulations, all spectators, regardless of vaccination status, must wear masks at all indoor athletic events.
The Wildcats bring a 3-8 record into the league opener.
They were supposed to play their America East opener last Thursday at home against UMass Lowell and then face UMBC on the road on Sunday. Both of those games were postponed for COVID-19 reasons.
Instead, the Wildcats played a previously postponed game at Boston College on Saturday and fell 88-52, after staying within 20-18 after a period.
Before the BC game, UNH rallied late to take Merrimack College to overtime before dropping a 70-64 decision on Dec. 22.
"The overall outcome has not been what we wanted, but we have some confidence from some real close games that could have gone our way and changed the record," Hogan said.
"We need to take those tight losses as learning points for us," she added. "The big thing with our mentality is to make sure we get better whether it's a win or a loss. It's all part of the process. We're excited for conference play to start and we have to play with a chip on our shoulder and with the attitude that we have something to prove."
Hogan said the Wildcats are probably in the middle of the pack in the league age-wise and experience-wise.
Grad student point guard Amanda Torres makes things go and leads the team at 11.8 points per game.
"For sure, Amanda does it all," Hogan said. "We kind of go as Amanda goes and she provides a lot of the drive and motivation for a lot of the other young ladies. But we do need to get some help and support from others. I think Ivy has been coming through and gaining some confidence and the same with Helena."
Senior forward Ivy Gogolin follows Torres at 7.9 points per game and junior Helena Delaruelle leads the team in rebounds with 4.5 per game. Gogolin averages 3.7 rebounds per contest. Delaruelle also contributes 2.8 assists per game with Torres right behind at 2.7.
Hogan was encouraged by the efforts of several of the Wildcats in the Merrimack game.
Freshman forward Talia Davis had career highs with 12 points and six rebounds and Delaruelle had 14 points and nine rebound. Torres had her usual numbers across the board with 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals and freshman Kenzie Matulonis had a solid game as well with seven points, a team-high four steals, three rebounds and three assists.
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"It was good to see Helena's little scoring spark against Merrimack and we hope she continues with that," Hogan said. "And Kenzie is coming along with some nice minutes, not just on offense, but especially defensively. And Talia Davis had a great game, hopefully that's a bit of a breakout game for her."
Another veteran Hogan is counting on is a UNH newcomer, senior guard Sophia Widmeyer, a transfer from Providence College.
"She has so much upside and some great potential," Hogan said. "As she continues to gain confidence in a new system, we're confident she'll be the scoring threat myself and the staff know she can be."
Widmeyer is averaging 5.8 points a game and had 14 against Bryant and 13 in her UNH debut, the season opener at Iowa.
The Wildcats are 3-3 at home will look to get conference play off on a positive note against Vermont in Lundholm.
The Catamounts bring a 6-6 overall record and 0-1 mark in America East to town. They lost at home to Maine, 64-58, last Thursday and had a game at UAlbany postponed on Sunday.
"We have to do our part to protect our house," Hogan said. "We have been playing better at home for the most part and we'll try to continue that."
THE ROAD AHEAD
Allen Lessels
@UNHInsider
Allen.Lessels@unh.edu
"It's go time now," said second-year head coach Kelsey Hogan. "Time to prove what we're all about. I'm excited and I know the team is too. We're feeling recharged from a little holiday break."
Tickets for all UNH home games are available at www.unhwildcats.com and by calling the Whittemore Center Box office at 603-862-4000.
Under the school's COVID-19 regulations, all spectators, regardless of vaccination status, must wear masks at all indoor athletic events.
The Wildcats bring a 3-8 record into the league opener.
They were supposed to play their America East opener last Thursday at home against UMass Lowell and then face UMBC on the road on Sunday. Both of those games were postponed for COVID-19 reasons.
Instead, the Wildcats played a previously postponed game at Boston College on Saturday and fell 88-52, after staying within 20-18 after a period.
Before the BC game, UNH rallied late to take Merrimack College to overtime before dropping a 70-64 decision on Dec. 22.
"The overall outcome has not been what we wanted, but we have some confidence from some real close games that could have gone our way and changed the record," Hogan said.
"We need to take those tight losses as learning points for us," she added. "The big thing with our mentality is to make sure we get better whether it's a win or a loss. It's all part of the process. We're excited for conference play to start and we have to play with a chip on our shoulder and with the attitude that we have something to prove."
Hogan said the Wildcats are probably in the middle of the pack in the league age-wise and experience-wise.
Grad student point guard Amanda Torres makes things go and leads the team at 11.8 points per game.
"For sure, Amanda does it all," Hogan said. "We kind of go as Amanda goes and she provides a lot of the drive and motivation for a lot of the other young ladies. But we do need to get some help and support from others. I think Ivy has been coming through and gaining some confidence and the same with Helena."
Senior forward Ivy Gogolin follows Torres at 7.9 points per game and junior Helena Delaruelle leads the team in rebounds with 4.5 per game. Gogolin averages 3.7 rebounds per contest. Delaruelle also contributes 2.8 assists per game with Torres right behind at 2.7.
Hogan was encouraged by the efforts of several of the Wildcats in the Merrimack game.
Freshman forward Talia Davis had career highs with 12 points and six rebounds and Delaruelle had 14 points and nine rebound. Torres had her usual numbers across the board with 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals and freshman Kenzie Matulonis had a solid game as well with seven points, a team-high four steals, three rebounds and three assists.
.
"It was good to see Helena's little scoring spark against Merrimack and we hope she continues with that," Hogan said. "And Kenzie is coming along with some nice minutes, not just on offense, but especially defensively. And Talia Davis had a great game, hopefully that's a bit of a breakout game for her."
Another veteran Hogan is counting on is a UNH newcomer, senior guard Sophia Widmeyer, a transfer from Providence College.
"She has so much upside and some great potential," Hogan said. "As she continues to gain confidence in a new system, we're confident she'll be the scoring threat myself and the staff know she can be."
Widmeyer is averaging 5.8 points a game and had 14 against Bryant and 13 in her UNH debut, the season opener at Iowa.
The Wildcats are 3-3 at home will look to get conference play off on a positive note against Vermont in Lundholm.
The Catamounts bring a 6-6 overall record and 0-1 mark in America East to town. They lost at home to Maine, 64-58, last Thursday and had a game at UAlbany postponed on Sunday.
"We have to do our part to protect our house," Hogan said. "We have been playing better at home for the most part and we'll try to continue that."
THE ROAD AHEAD
- Fans can purchase group and individual game tickets at UNHWildcats.com/Tickets or by calling the UNH Wildcats box office at 603-862-4000 (Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm).
- Fans must wear masks while inside Lundholm Gymnasium.
- The Wildcats are scheduled to play at Albany on Saturday, Jan. 8 and at Maine on Thursday, Jan. 13.
- UNH is scheduled to play its Alumni Day game on Sunday, Jan. 16 at 1 p.m. against Stony Brook.
- The Wildcats face Hartford at home on Wednesday, Jan. 19 at 6 p.m.
- Because of the way COVID-19 scrambled the 2020-21 season, UNH and Vermont did not play last season.
- During the 2019-20 season each team won on the opposing team's floor.
- The Wildcats had a 59-51 win at Vermont and the Catamounts won 44-42 in Durham.
Allen Lessels
@UNHInsider
Allen.Lessels@unh.edu
Players Mentioned
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