Women's Basketball

Women's Basketball News - 2009-10

Game recaps written by Tim McNicholas

Krista Van Hauen Named Head Women's Basketball Coach

June 16, 2010

St. Ambrose University Director of Athletics Ray Shovlain announced today Krista Van Hauen has been named the head women's basketball coach. Van Hauen becomes the 10th Queen Bees basketball coach in program history after replacing Nathan Altenhofen, who accepted an assistant coaching position at Indiana University last month.

"Krista is an outstanding choice for St. Ambrose University," said Shovlain. "Along with being a quality person and coach, she brings critical and valuable recruiting experience at different college levels. We are excited to be able to add her to our staff."

Van Hauen has spent the last two years as an assistant coach at the University of Northern Colorado. Responsible for developing perimeter players, Van Hauen coached guard Whitley Cox, a 2010 all-Big Sky Conference First Team selection, who recently signed a professional contract with the Harlem Ambassadors.

Along with assisting with on-court coaching at Northern Colorado, she organized team travel and summer camps, supervised the academic performance of the student-athletes, and assisted with recruiting the Midwest and junior colleges.

Prior to her two years with the Bears, Van Hauen was the Director of Women's Basketball Operations at Bradley University from 2006-08 while studying to earn her Master's degree in Coaching from the United States Sports Academy.

"Being named the St. Ambrose University head women's basketball coach is an unbelievable opportunity," said Van Hauen. "I am extremely humbled, honored, and grateful. Since St. Ambrose has had a winning record for every one of its 34-year history and has won numerous conference championships and made many trips to the NAIA National Tournament, I am extremely humbled that St. Ambrose has placed their confidence in me to become their next head coach. I am, also, honored since winning coaches like Iowa's Lisa Bluder and Missouri's Robin Pingeton have coached at St. Ambrose. In addition, I am extremely grateful that St. Ambrose believes in me to continue its winning tradition. I want to personally thank Athletic Director Ray Shovlain along with the Coaches Committee and Campus Committee, who were all so professional in the interview process."

Along with her successful coaching background, Van Hauen has strong ties to Iowa and the Midwest. A three-time conference MVP at Wellsburg-Steamboat Rock High School in Iowa, Van Hauen played collegiately at Waldorf College. An NJCAA First Team All-American in 2001, she led the Warriors to a third-place finish at the NJCAA National Championships that year.

After a year at Simpson College, where she garnered second team all-Iowa Conference honors, Van Hauen returned to Waldorf to earn a degree in Wellness and closed her career by earning all-Midwest Collegiate Conference recognition in 2004.

Van Hauen got her coaching start as a student assistant at Waldorf in 2003. She coached at Grundy Center (Iowa) High School in 2004-05 and also served as an assistant coach at Cornell College during the 2005-06 season before moving to Bradley.

"After growing up in Iowa and having played both high school and college basketball in Iowa, I know the quality of talent that is part of the Hawkeye State," said Van Hauen. "In addition, with my previous coaching jobs I have gained many valuable experiences in assessing and recruiting top-athletes from the Midwest. When looking for quality student-athletes, the young women must be successful on the basketball court as well as in the classroom while being respected in their communities. They must value the qualities of good citizenship, respect, trustworthiness, and honesty. I believe such talented student-athletes will compete successfully at the NAIA level and will win conference championships, and compete in the NAIA National Tournament. More importantly, such young ladies will be winners in the game of life, making outstanding contributions in their families, communities, and careers in the future."

Van Hauen inherits a Queen Bee squad coming off a 24-8 season, led by two-time All-American Ali Dolphin. SAU had only one senior on the 2009-10 roster, four-time all-conference pick Jenny Clark.

"I'm so excited to meet the players," said Van Hauen. "I am confident that through hard work, teamwork and respect for oneself and others we will take the program to a higher level."

St. Ambrose has won at least 20 games in five straight seasons and in 10 of the last 11 years. The Queen Bees have made 15 NAIA National Championship appearances, and twice reached the Final Four (1988-89, 1989-90).

Altenhofen Accepts Assistant Coaching Position at Indiana

May 14, 2010

St. Ambrose University head women's basketball coach Nathan Altenhofen has accepted an assistant coaching position at Indiana University.

Altenhofen is the third former St. Ambrose women's basketball coach to move to the NCAA Division I level, joining Robin (Becker) Pingeton, who was the head coach at Illinois State for seven seasons before being named the head coach at the University of Missouri last month, and Lisa Bluder, the former head coach at Drake University and the current head coach at the University of Iowa.

"Nate has done an outstanding job with our women's basketball program and we're sad to see him go," said St. Ambrose Director of Athletics Ray Shovlain. "But we're also excited about this opportunity that was presented to him. Coaching the St. Ambrose women's basketball team has been a stepping stone for several coaches and we know Nate will do a great job at Indiana."

"For numerous reasons, I am extremely grateful to Coach Ray (Shovlain) and (SAU President) Sister Joan Lescinski for allowing me the opportunity of coaching at St. Ambrose University these past few seasons," said Altenhofen. "Telling our players this past week was one of the most difficult things I've done in my coaching career. It was going to take something very special for me to leave what we have established within the Queen Bee program. There are a ton of outstanding young ladies here on this St. Ambrose women's basketball team. In basketball terms, the cupboard is definitely full and I look forward to following them, as they continue to be an NAIA national power."

In three seasons at St. Ambrose, Altenhofen compiled a 73-25 record. In his debut season at SAU, Altenhofen was named the Midwest Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year after guiding the Queen Bees to a Sweet 16 appearance at the NAIA National Tournament. The Bees finished 29-6 that year and followed that up with a 20-11 campaign in 2008-09 and a 24-8 mark this season.

Altenhofen joined the Queen Bees after serving as the head women’s basketball coach for the Odessa College Lady Wranglers from 2004-07. He led them to an impressive 80-15 record during his tenure. In 2007, Altenhofen was named the NJCAA Division I National Coach of the Year after guiding Odessa College to a 32-2 record and the 2007 NJCAA National Championship. He finished his final two seasons at Odessa College with a 66-3 record, which was the best mark in all of college basketball.

Altenhofen’s first collegiate coaching position was at Arkansas State University, where he served as an assistant women’s basketball coach and recruiting coordinator from 1999-02.

From 2002-03, Altenhofen worked as a talent scout for the All Star Girls Report, where he evaluated national girls’ high school basketball talent. Following his stint with the All Star Girls Report, Altenhofen served as an assistant Women’s Basketball Coach at Murray State University in 2003-04.

Altenhofen began his coaching career at the high school level in 1993 and was a summer AAU coach from 1994-99. During this stint he guided such players as 2000 L’adidas High School All-American Tera Bjorklund and 2002 Big Ten MVP, Lindsay Whalen. Overall, Altenhofen helped develop more than 40 future Division I players during his five years as a summer AAU coach.

Altenhofen would be the third SAU women's basketball coach to use the job as a springboard to the NCAA Division I level.

Bluder got her coaching start at St. Ambrose in 1984. In six years at SAU, her teams were 165-36 and made NAIA National Tournament Elite Eight appearances in 1987 and 1988. She accepted the head coaching job at Drake in 1990-91 and won 187 games over 10 years. In 2000, Bluder moved to Iowa City and has won 189 games in 10 years at Iowa. She led the 2009-10 Hawkeyes to the NCAA Tournament and was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year.

Pingeton won 192 games and made five NAIA National Tournament appearances as the head coach of the Queen Bees from 1992-00. She became an assistant coach at Iowa State for three seasons before being named the head coach at Illinois State prior to the 2003-04 season. At ISU, she compiled a 144-81 record over seven seasons. Pingeton now moves to the Big 12 as she accepted the head coaching job at Missouri in April.

Altenhofen joins Felisha Legette-Jack's staff at Indiana. In just her second year at Indiana, Legette-Jack led the Hoosiers to a school-record 21 wins in 2008-09. The Hoosiers finished 14-16 in 2009-10.

A search for Altenhofen's replacement at St. Ambrose will begin immediately.

Dolphin Named to All-America Third Team

Mar. 17, 2010

Ali Dolphin, the St. Ambrose do-it-all forward, was named to the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball All-America Third Team it was announced today by the NAIA. Dolphin earned Second Team All-American honors last year. The 5-9 forward from Marshalltown, Iowa, led the Queen Bees in points, rebounds, assists and steals, and finished second on the team in blocked shots in helping SAU to a 24-8 record this season.

Dolphin finished in the top-10 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference in nearly every major statistical category. The three-time all-conference pick led the MCC in steals (3.7/game), was second in scoring (17.4 points/game) and assists (4.9/game), was fifth in rebounding (8.4/game) and was 10th in blocks (0.8/game).

She also led the league with 3.7 offensive rebounds per game and was 11th in field goal percentage (.429) and 13th in free throw percentage (.724).

Dolphin scored in double figures 28 times this year and grabbed double-digit rebounds 10 times. She recorded 10 double-doubles and had a 17-point, 14-rebound, 10-assist triple-double at William Penn.

Along with her three all-conference awards, Dolphin was a Second Team all-American and the MCC Player of the Year last year. As a freshman, she was named the conference's Newcomer of the Year. Moving up the St. Ambrose career record book in several categories, Dolphin is already eighth all-time with 1,623 career points heading into her senior season next year.

St. Ambrose has had 14 different women's basketball players earn All-American honors since 1984.

St. Ambrose NAIA Women's Basketball All-Americans
2010 - Ali Dolphin (3rd team)
2009 - Ali Dolphin (2nd team)
2008 - Jenny Clark (2nd team)
2007 - Jennifer Goetz (2nd team)
2006 - Jennifer Goetz (honorable mention)
2005 - Jennifer Goetz (honorable mention)
2004 - Angie Schinstock (2nd team)
2003 - Angie Schinstock (3rd team)
2001 - Jenny DeSmet (3rd team)
2000 - Mary Cofield (2nd team)
1997 - Melissa Wehr (honorable mention)
1996 - Brandy Scheckel (1st team)
1995 - Brandy Scheckel (3rd team)
1994 - Eileen Graham (honorable mention)
1992 - Shelley Johnson (honorable mention)
1990 - Robin Becker (1st team) and Liz Ciprian (honorable mention)
1989 - Robin Becker (2nd team)
1988 - Patty Campbell (2nd team) and Robin Becker (honorable mention)
1987 - Patty Campbell (honorable mention)
1984 - Stephanie Smith (honorable mention)

Dolphin, Clark Named First Team All-MCC

Mar. 3, 2010

After helping St. Ambrose to a 24-win season, teammates Jenny Clark and Ali Dolphin were named to the all-Midwest Collegiate Conference First Team as the league released its women's basketball postseason awards today.

Dolphin, the do-it-all junior forward from Marshalltown, Iowa, led the Queen Bees in points, rebounds, assists and steals, and finished second on the team in blocked shots. She is in the top-10 in the conference in nearly every major statistical category. The three-time all-conference pick currently leads the MCC in steals (3.7/game), is second in scoring (17.4 points/game) and assists (4.9/game), is fifth in rebounding (8.4/game) and is 10th in blocks (0.8/game).

She leads the league with 3.7 offensive rebounds per game and is 11th in field goal percentage (.429) and 13th in free throw percentage (.724).

Dolphin scored in double figures 28 times this year and grabbed double-digit rebounds 10 times. She recorded 10 double-doubles and had a 17-point, 14-rebound, 10-assist triple-double at William Penn.

Clark capped her outstanding career by earning all-conference honors for the fourth straight year. The senior guard from Cambridge, Ill., owns all of the St. Ambrose 3-point records and currently leads the NAIA Division II with a school-record 118 3-pointers this season.

Clark hit a school-record eight 3-pointers in a game five different times in her career, including twice in 2009-10. She shattered the career 3-point mark, making 367 shots from beyond the arc over her four years in a Queen Bee uniform.

Much more than just a 3-point threat, Clark finished second on the team in points, assists and steals. She finished in the top-10 in the MCC in several categories, including first in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.97), second in steals (2.7/game), sixth in scoring (14.6 points/game), sixth in assists (3.8/game) and seventh in 3-point percentage (.360).

This season, Clark scored in double figures 26 times and knocked down at least three 3-pointers in a game 24 times.

Clark finished her SAU career ninth in program history with 1,621 points.

Earlier this season, Dolphin and Clark became the first two St. Ambrose women's basketball players to score 1,500 career points and hand out 400 career assists.

St. Ambrose finished 24-8 overall and 11-5 in the MCC. The Queen Bees ended the year with a three-point loss at nationally-ranked Iowa Wesleyan in the conference tournament semifinals.

Queen Bees Fall Short in Semifinals at Iowa Wesleyan

Feb. 27, 2010

St. Ambrose battled all the way back from a 14-point first-half deficit only to see Iowa Wesleyan score the game's final six points to escape with a 75-72 win in the semifinals of the Midwest Collegiate Conference Tournament. The Queen Bees end the season 24-8 overall.

It appeared SAU might be in line for its third double-digit loss this season to Iowa Wesleyan (24-7) as the MCC regular season champions took a 37-23 lead late in the first half. The Bees cut the deficit to 46-40 at the half and took their first lead of the game at 47-46 on a Megan Cash 3-pointer just over a minute into the second half.

After IWC rebuilt a 67-60 lead with 6:48 to play, St. Ambrose responded with 10 straight points to grab a 70-67 lead on an Ali Dolphin layup with 2:37 remaining. Dolphin's jumper just 34 seconds later, gave the Bees a 72-69 lead with just over two minutes to play, but that proved to be the final SAU points.

The Tigers took the lead for good on two free throws and after an SAU turnover, hit two more from the line for a 75-72 lead with three seconds left. The Bees were unable to get off a final shot.

St. Ambrose was able to stay close despite getting out-rebounded 64-29. The Bees forced 26 turnovers and limited the Tigers to 41 percent shooting, including 11 percent from beyond the arc.

Dolphin led SAU with 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Megan Cash dropped in 18 points on six 3-pointers. Playing in her final game, senior Jenny Clark scored 13 points.

Queen Bees Move On to MCC Tournament Semifinals

Feb. 25, 2010

Ali Dolphin scored 27 points and St. Ambrose used a big run in the second half to get past William Penn 76-49 in the first round of the Midwest Collegiate Conference Tournament Thursday night. The Queen Bees will face conference top-seed Iowa Wesleyan in a tournament semifinal in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Saturday at 2 p.m.

SAU (24-7) led from the start against William Penn, scoring the game's first five points and leading by as many as 17 in the first half. William Penn (17-14) closed to within 32-20 at the half and scored the first five points of the second half to trim the SAU lead to seven.

Over the next 8:34, St. Ambrose put together a 22-1 run to pull away. Dolphin and Annie Smith led the charge. Smith hit three 3-pointers and Dolphin scored six points in the run that turned a 32-25 lead into a commanding 54-26 lead with just under 11 minutes to play.

The lead never got under 20 points the rest of the way.

Dolphin led three Queen Bees in double figures. Smith finished with 15 points on five 3-pointers and Clark scored 13.

SAU limited the Statesmen to less than 39 percent shooting from the floor and forced 25 WPU turnovers. The Bees also grabbed a 36-31 edge on the boards.

St. Ambrose will now prepare for Iowa Wesleyan, a team that has defeated SAU twice already this season. The Tigers won 88-70 in Mount Pleasant on Jan. 6 and 80-68 in Lee Lohman Arena on Feb. 3.

Queen Bees Host William Penn to Open MCC Tournament

Feb. 23, 2010

St. Ambrose will welcome William Penn in an opening-round game of the Midwest Collegiate Conference Women's Basketball Tournament Thursday at 7 p.m.

The Queen Bees are the tournament's fourth seed and will host the fifth-seeded Lady Statesmen. SAU (23-7) won both match-ups during the regular season - a 79-53 decision in Oskaloosa, Iowa, on Jan. 13 and a 77-50 win in Lee Lohman Arena on Feb. 10.

Ali Dolphin averaged 20.5 points and 10 rebounds in the two wins over WPU (17-13). Jenny Clark (16.5 ppg) and Megan Cash (15.5 ppg) both averaged double figures against the Statesmen.

The winner of Thursday's quarterfinal match will play the winner of the Iowa Wesleyan-Viterbo game in a conference tournament semifinal Saturday afternoon. Iowa Wesleyan is the draw's top seed.

The complete MCC Women's Basketball Tournament bracket is available on the conference website.

Dolphin Named MCC Player of the Week

Feb. 22, 2010

Junior guard Ali Dolphin was named the Midwest Collegiate Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week today after her performance in a pair of wins last week.

Dolphin averaged 24 points, 15.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 4.5 steals while shooting 55 percent from the floor and 80 percent from the line in wins over Ashford and Clarke.

She scored 20 points and grabbed 11 boards in an 84-49 win at Ashford Wednesday night. She also led the team with six steals and five assists.

Saturday, Dolphin finished with 28 points and 20 rebounds in an 81-49 win over Clarke. She handed out six assists.

Dolphin, a three-time conference player of the week, is averaging 16.9 points and 8.5 rebounds this season.

Dolphin's Double-Double Leads to Big Win

Feb. 20, 2010

Ali Dolphin scored 28 points and pulled down 20 rebounds as St. Ambrose flew past Clarke 81-49 on Senior Day Saturday. The Queen Bees close the regular season with a 23-7 record and an 11-5 mark in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

Prior to the game, SAU recognized its lone senior, Jenny Clark. Then it took a half before the Bees really found their rhythm.

Leading 38-30 at the half, St. Ambrose dominated the final 20 minutes, outscoring Clarke (6-24, 3-13 MCC) 43-19. The Bees limited the Crusaders to 23 percent shooting in the second half to win going away.

Dolphin scored 19 of her 28 points in the first half. Annie Smith finished with 16 points, Megan Cash netted 15 and Clark dropped in 12.

St. Ambrose will host William Penn in a first round game of the MCC Tournament Thursday at 7 p.m.

Bees Start Second Half with 21 Straight Points to Cruise to Win

Feb. 17, 2010

St. Ambrose scored the first 21 points of the second half to pull away for an 84-49 win at Ashford Wednesday night. The win moved the Queen Bees to 22-7 overall and 10-5 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

After a competitive first half that saw the Bees claim a 37-29 halftime lead, SAU opened things up early in the second half. Most of the 21-0 run came courtesy of Annie Smith and Jenny Clark. Smith hit three 3-pointers and a pair of free throws to score 11 points and Clark hit a triple, converted a three-point play and scored on a layup to put in eight points in the run.

Smith's sixth and final 3-pointer of the night capped the 21-0 run to give SAU a 58-29 lead. The game was never in doubt from there.

SAU shot only 38 percent from the floor but hit 16-of-43 (38 percent) from beyond the arc. Smith (six) and Clark (four) combined for 10 of St. Ambrose's 16 3-pointers.

The long-range success and a defense that limited the Saints (8-19, 2-13 MCC) to 29-percent shooting keyed the win. SAU also forced 26 Ashford turnovers. The Bees committed only eight turnovers.

Smith led all scorers with 23 points. Ali Dolphin finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds, six steals and five assists. Clark scored 17 points and Lauren Ryan came off the bench to hit three 3-pointers to finish with nine points.

SAU will close the regular season at home against Clarke at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Clark, Dolphin Start Exclusive Club

Feb. 17, 2010

The two have been paired on the court for the last three years. Now Jenny Clark and Ali Dolphin will forever be paired in the St. Ambrose women's basketball record book.

Clark, a senior guard, and Dolphin, a junior forward, recently became the first players in program history to each reach 1,500 career points and 400 career assists.

Nine Queen Bees have scored at least 1,500 career points, eight have dished out at least 400 assists, but Clark and Dolphin are the only two to hit both milestones.

Fittingly, the pair accomplished the individual feats just a week apart. After handing out her 400th assist in a game against Fresno Pacific on Dec. 19 of this season, Clark scored her 1,500th career point against Waldorf on Jan. 30.

Dolphin got the assist mark against Iowa Wesleyan on Feb. 3 and surpassed the 1,500-point plateau at Viterbo on Feb. 6.

"This is a great accomplishment for these two young ladies," said SAU head coach Nathan Altenhofen. "How they have combined the ability to score while consistently making good decisions with the basketball has been great to watch these past few seasons."

Sizzling Second Half Carries SAU Past William Penn

Feb. 10, 2010

St. Ambrose shot 60 percent from the floor in the second half to run past William Penn 77-50 Wednesday night in Lee Lohman Arena.

After a competitive first half that saw the Queen Bees claim a 32-25 halftime lead, SAU opened things up in the second half. The Bees scored the first five points of the half to build a 12-point advantage.

With the margin at 11 at 43-32 with just under 15 minutes left, Ali Dolphin keyed a big run over the next four minutes. The junior forward hit four straight shots to spark a 15-3 spurt that gave the Bees a 58-35 lead. William Penn (15-12, 7-6 MCC) never threatened the rest of the way.

In the decisive second half, St. Ambrose hit 15-of-25 from the field, including 11-of-13 2-point attempts. The Bees also knocked down 11-of-13 from the line over the final 20 minutes.

Dolphin hit all eight of her field goal attempts to score 18 of her game-high 24 points in the second half. Jenny Clark buried four 3-pointers to finish with 17 points and Megan Cash added 16 points. Ashley Dexter scored eight.

St. Ambrose is 21-7 overall and 9-5 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference. The Queen Bees will visit Ashford next Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. before closing the regular season at home next Saturday, Feb. 20, against Clarke at 1 p.m.

Four Hit Double Figures as Queen Bees Beat Viterbo

Feb. 6, 2010

Jenny Clark led four players in double figures as St. Ambrose picked up a 60-48 win at Viterbo Saturday afternoon. Clark hit five 3-pointers enroute to 17 points to help the Queen Bees move to 20-7 overall and 8-5 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

Annie Smith came off the bench to knock down four 3-pointers to finish with 14 points. Ali Dolphin added 11 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and eight steals while Megan Cash dropped in 10 points.

The Queen Bees led from the start. Clark hit three of her triples in the first three minutes of the game as SAU took a 10-0 lead. St. Ambrose led by at least five points the entire first half before taking a 28-18 halftime lead.

Viterbo (6-20, 2-10 MCC) got to within six points midway through the second half but the Bees answered with eight straight points to take a 55-41 lead before closing out the 12-point win.

SAU finished with 11 3-pointers to help off-set 35 percent shooting overall from the field. The Bees forced 31 turnovers while committing only 14 in the win.

St. Ambrose will host William Penn Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

Strong Start Fades as SAU Falls to Iowa Wesleyan

Feb. 3, 2010

St. Ambrose shot only 30 percent from the field in falling to #14 Iowa Wesleyan 80-68 Wednesday night in Lee Lohman Arena.

The Queen Bees started well but were unable to maintain their early success. SAU grabbed an 11-5 lead just four minutes into the contest but things cooled from there. Iowa Wesleyan (18-7, 11-1 MCC) took a 41-30 halftime lead and except for pulling within nine points twice in the first two minutes of the second half, St. Ambrose trailed by double digits the rest of the way.

While the Bees struggled, the Tigers shot better than 46 percent from the floor and knocked down 21-of-25 from the line. IWC also pulled down a 56-29 advantage on the boards.

Megan Cash and Jenny Clark led the Bees with 21 points apiece. Ali Dolphin finished with nine points and nine rebounds, but shot 2-of-19 from the field.

SAU will visit Viterbo Saturday at 1 p.m.

Bees Snap Three-Game Skid with Win over Waldorf

Jan. 30, 2010

Megan Cash and Jenny Clark each hit four 3-pointers to lead St. Ambrose to a 70-52 win over Waldorf Saturday afternoon in Lee Lohman Arena. The win snapped a three-game losing streak and improved the Queen Bees to 19-6 overall and 7-4 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

SAU took control early. With the game tied at 3-3, the Bees outscored Waldorf (6-16, 2-8 MCC) 13-2 to take a 16-5 lead. Ali Dolphin scored seven points and Cash hit a pair of triples during the run. The lead was as big as 14 points in the first half and was 12 at 40-28 at halftime.

The Warriors never got closer than eight points in the second half.

The Bees shot 52 percent from the floor in the first half and finished at 42 percent for the game while holding Waldorf to 33 percent shooting overall.

Cash led all scorers with 19 points and Clark finished with 16. Dolphin added 13.

St. Ambrose will host Iowa Wesleyan Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

Queen Bees Drop Third Straight

Jan. 28, 2010

St. Ambrose was unable to overcome a second-half slump and dropped a 74-68 decision at Mount Mercy Thursday night. The Queen Bees have lost three straight to fall to 18-6 overall and 6-4 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

After taking a 39-38 halftime lead, SAU struggled to find its offense in the second half. The Queen Bees led 46-40 in the first minute of the second half but were outscored 29-8 over the next 13 minutes to find themselves down 69-54.

Over that stretch, SAU made only 3-of-26 shots and turned the ball over seven times. The Bees misfired on all 10 of their 3-point attempts during that time as well.

St. Ambrose climbed back into the game over the final four minutes. Down 16 points, SAU scored 12 straight points, the last two coming on a Megan Storjohann layup, to trim the lead to 72-68 with 22 seconds left. The Bees had chances to get closer but Megan Cash missed a 3-point attempt and SAU turned the ball over twice before Mount Mercy (15-9, 7-3 MCC) hit two free throws in the final seconds to account for the final score.

Cash led the Bees with 20 points. Ali Dolphin scored 14 points and grabbed 11 rebounds. Ashley Dexter also hit double digits, finishing with 13 points.

SAU will host Waldorf Saturday at 1 p.m.

St. Ambrose Falls in Overtime to Grand View

Jan. 25, 2010

St. Ambrose battled back from a double-digit deficit only to fall in overtime 70-68 to Grand View Monday night in Lee Lohman Arena. The loss dropped the Queen Bees to 18-5 overall and 6-3 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

After falling behind 29-16 late in the first half, SAU gradually fought back into the game. The lead was chipped to 33-26 at the half. The Bees finally caught Grand View (17-6, 7-2 MCC) in the early stages of the second half. The Vikings rebuilt a seven-point advantage at 55-48 with 3:45 left but a Jenny Clark 3-pointer, a Megan Cash basket and two Ali Dolphin free throws tied the game at 55-55.

Three times in the last 1:30, St. Ambrose came back from a two-point deficit. Megan Storjohann, Cash and Dolphin each hit jumpers to tie the game, with Dolphin's coming with just five seconds left on the clock to force overtime.

In the extra session, the Bees took a 68-66 lead on a pair of free throws from Ashley Dexter with 48 seconds remaining. But Grand View answered with a three-point play to regain the lead. Cash and Dolphin missed shots in the final 13 seconds before the Vikings ended the scoring with a free throw. Dolphin's desperation shot at the buzzer came up well short.

SAU shot only 36 percent from the floor and was out-rebounded 54-34. The Bees were able to stay close thanks to forcing 23 turnovers while committing only 10.

Dolphin led all scorers with 31 points and added seven rebounds. Cash finished with 16 points and Clark added nine.

The Bees slipped into third place in the MCC with their 6-3 mark. Iowa Wesleyan leads the conference at 7-1 while Grand View is 7-2. SAU will visit Mount Mercy, who sits in a fourth-place tie with William Penn with 5-3 records, Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Queen Bees Stunned at Clarke

Jan. 23, 2010

For the second time this season, St. Ambrose was without leading scorer Ali Dolphin. And for the second time this season, the Queen Bees were unable to overcome her loss.

St. Ambrose shot only 38 percent in a 63-59 loss at Clarke Saturday afternoon and dropped to 18-4 overall and 6-2 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

A tight first half saw Clarke (5-17, 2-6 MCC) claim a 34-32 halftime lead. The Crusaders pushed their advantage to eight points at 56-48 with 4:16 to play. The Bees answered with eight straight points, four each from Lauren Ryan and Ashley Dexter, to knot the score at 56-56. After a Clarke free throw, Dexter hit another jumper to give SAU its first lead of the second half at 58-57 with just over two minutes remaining.

But in the final two minutes, the Bees' only point came on a Dexter free throw. Meanwhile, Clarke capitalized by sinking 6-of-8 from the line to pull out the win.

The Crusaders outscored the Bees 15-7 from the line to overcome 31 percent shooting from the field. Clarke also grabbed a 53-42 edge on the boards.

Jenny Clark led SAU with 15 points. Mary Burmeister scored 12 and Dexter finished with 11.

St. Ambrose will look to rebound at home Monday night against Clarke. Tip-off is slated for 5:30 p.m.

SAU Shakes Off Slow Start to Defeat Ashford

Jan. 21, 2010

Video highlights, courtesy TV-11

St. Ambrose recovered from a slow start to post a 66-50 win over Ashford Thursday night in Lee Lohman Arena. The Queen Bees are 18-3 overall and 6-1 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

Things started fine as SAU raced to a 15-6 lead. But over the next eight minutes, the Bees missed 16 straight shots and turned the ball over five times as the visitors grabbed an 18-15 lead. Minutes later, the Saints pushed their edge to four points before SAU closed the half with eight straight points, started by a Shelley Charvat 3-pointer, to take a 26-22 halftime lead.

After shooting just 22 percent in the first half, St. Ambrose finally hits its stride in the second half. The Bees knocked down 15-of-35 field goals, including 7-of-19 from beyond the arc, in outscoring the Saints 40-28 in the second half.

Megan Cash led the Bees with 12 points while Ali Dolphin and Ashley Dexter each scored 10. Lauren Ryan hit three 3-pointers to finish with nine points.

Along with holding Ashford to 39 percent shooting, the SAU defense also forced 30 turnovers in the win.

St. Ambrose will visit Clarke Saturday for a 1 p.m. contest.

Dolphin's Triple-Double Leads to Big Road Win

Jan. 13, 2010

Ali Dolphin finished with 17 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists in leading St. Ambrose to a 79-53 win at William Penn Wednesday night. Her triple-double along with a strong defensive effort helped SAU improve to 17-3 overall and 5-1 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

The Queen Bees left little doubt about the outcome right from the start. SAU raced to a 10-0 lead thanks to four points from Megan Storjohann and a pair of 3-pointers from Jenny Clark. William Penn (10-9, 2-3 MCC) pulled to within 28-19 with 8:21 left in the first half before SAU answered with nine straight points. Five different players scored in the run.

SAU saw its 20-point halftime lead shrink to 14 points five minutes into the second half, but 11 straight points, including four from Dolphin, pushed the lead to 57-32 and SAU was not threatened the rest of the way.

Dolphin's triple-double overshadowed a balanced attack with four Bees finishing in double figures. Jenny Clark and Megan Cash each hit five 3-pointers to finish with 16 points and 15 points, respectively. Lauren Ryan came off the bench to hit four triples en route to 13 points.

SAU hit 14 of its 18 3-point attempts and shot nearly 45 percent from the field overall. The Bee defense limited WPU to 30 percent shooting.

St. Ambrose and Iowa Wesleyan lead the MCC with matching 5-1 marks. Mount Mercy is just a game back at 4-1.

The Queen Bees will host Ashford Wednesday, Jan. 20, at 5:30 p.m.

SAU Pulls Away from Viterbo in Second Half

Jan. 9, 2010

St. Ambrose outscored Viterbo 35-11 over the first 12 minutes of the second half to help pull away for a 74-53 win Saturday afternoon. The Queen Bees are 16-3 overall and 4-1 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

The Bees led by as many as 16 points in the first half before settling for a 37-27 halftime advantage. After Viterbo (5-13, 1-3 MCC) pulled to within eight points in the early stages of the second half, SAU took control.

Ashley Dexter sparked an 8-0 run with five points and an assist on a Jenny Clark 3-pointer. From there, the lead steadily increased until the Bees took their biggest lead of the game at 72-38 with just under eight minutes to play. The V-Hawks scored the game's final 13 points to account for the final score.

After neither team managed to shoot better than 37 percent from the floor in the first half, St. Ambrose shot nearly 44 percent while holding Viterbo to 23-percent shooting in the second half. The Bees also outscored the V-Hawks 33-0 from beyond the arc as Clark and Megan Cash each knocked down four 3-pointers.

Ali Dolphin led the way with 18 points in the win. Cash and Dexter each scored 16 while Clark added 12 points and a team-high six assists.

St. Ambrose will visit William Penn Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.

Bees Suffer First Conference Setback at Iowa Wesleyan

Jan. 6, 2010

Playing their seventh straight road game and with their leading scorer saddled with foul trouble, St. Ambrose lost 88-70 at Iowa Wesleyan Wednesday night. The Queen Bees dropped to 15-3 overall and 3-1 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

Ali Dolphin, averaging 17.0 points per game entering the contest, finished with only six points in 14 minutes of action before fouling out. She played only five minutes and did not score in the first half after picking up three fouls.

The game was close early with the team's knotted at 6-6 just over six minutes into the game. The Bees trailed by only five points after an Annie Smith 3-pointer made the score 27-22. But Iowa Wesleyan (11-6, 4-0 MCC) closed the half on a 12-4 run to take a 39-26 halftime lead.

Dolphin scored four of her points right after the break to pull the Bees to within nine points but the Tigers answered with five straight points of their own and maintained a double-digit advantage the rest of the way.

SAU shot only 32 percent from the floor and was out-rebounded 56-37. Jenny Clark led the way with 18 points and Smith finished with 12. Megan Cash scored nine points and Lauren Ryan matched Dolphin with six points.

For the first time since Dec. 13, St. Ambrose will play at home. The Bees will welcome Viterbo for a 1 p.m. game on Saturday.

Dolphin Named MCC Player of the Week

Jan. 4, 2009

Ali Dolphin was named the Midwest Collegiate Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week today after helping St. Ambrose to a pair of wins last week. It is the second time this season Dolphin has won the weekly conference honor.

In three games, the 5-9 junior forward from Marshalltown, Iowa, averaged 19.7 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.7 steals last week. She helped the nationally-ranked Queen Bees finish second at the Saint Xavier Holiday Tournament and was named to the all-tournament team.

Dolphin closed the week by scoring 26 points and adding six rebounds, four steals and three assists as SAU rallied from a 17-point second-half deficit to win at Waldorf 82-74 Saturday afternoon.

Through SAU's 15-2 start this season, Dolphin is averaging a team best 17.0 points and 7.9 rebounds per game. She also leads the team in assists (80) and steals (57) and is third on the team with 12 blocked shots.

Bees Rally From 17-Point Deficit for Road Win

Jan. 2, 2010

Down 17 points early in the second half, St. Ambrose rallied for an 82-74 win at Waldorf Saturday afternoon. SAU is 15-2 overall and 3-0 in the Midwest Collegiate Conference.

After trailing most of the first half, the Queen Bees found themselves down 50-33 just 10 seconds into the second half. The deficit was still 16 points at 56-40 with 17:01 left before SAU fought back. An 11-0 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Jennifer Lickteig, pulled the Bees to within 56-51. Five different Bees scored during the spurt.

A minute later, after Waldorf (4-10, 0-2 MCC) pushed the lead back to nine, SAU put together a 10-0 run, led by six points from Ali Dolphin, to take its first lead since 3-2. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Jenny Clark and Delaney Graziano gave the Bees a 69-62 lead with 7:05 remaining. Over a 10-minute stretch, SAU outscored Waldorf 29-6. The Warriors never got closer than four points the rest of the way.

Dolphin again led the way with 26 points, six rebounds, four steals and three assists. Annie Smith finished with 13 points. Ashley Dexter scored nine while Megan Cash and Megan Storjohann each netted eight.

SAU shot 34 percent from the field but hit 11 3-pointers and 21 free throws, including 18 in the second half. The Bee defense also forced 27 Warrior turnovers.

The schedule doesn't get any easier. The Bees will visit Iowa Wesleyan Wednesday in a matchup of the only two schools with 3-0 MCC marks. Tip off is slated for 5:30 p.m.

Dolphin, Clark Named to All-Tournament Team Despite Loss

Dec. 29, 2009

Ali Dolphin and Jenny Clark were named to the all-tournament team after leading St. Ambrose to second place at the Saint Xavier Holiday Tournament.

Dolphin averaged 16.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 3.7 steals as the Queen Bees went 2-1 in the eight-team tournament. Clark averaged 12.0 points and 4.0 rebounds and knocked down 10 3-pointers.

The Bees ended the tournament with a 77-50 loss to host Saint Xavier, the #3 team in NAIA Division I. SAU shot only 26 percent from the field in dropping only its second game of the season. The Bees are 14-2 overall.

Dolphin finished with team highs of 13 points, 11 rebounds, four steals and three assists. Megan Cash and Annie Smith each scored 10 points. Clark added six points.

St. Ambrose will return to Midwest Collegiate Conference play on Saturday, Jan. 2, at Waldorf. The women's game will tip off at 1 p.m.

Dolphin, Clark, Cash Lead Bees to Victory

Dec. 28, 2009

Ali Dolphin, Jenny Clark and Megan Cash combined for 54 points in St. Ambrose's 72-61 win over St. Francis, Ill., in the semifinals of the Saint Xavier Holiday Tournament. The Queen Bees will play Saint Xavier for the tournament championship Tuesday night.

Dolphin led the Queen Bees with 20 points and did much of her damage from the line, knocking down 8-of-10 free throws. Clark finished with 18 points, thanks to four 3-pointers, while Cash added 16 points and hit three triples.

SAU led by as many as 12 points in the first half before St. Francis chipped away and pulled to within a single point late in the half. But a Dolphin jumper keyed a 7-0 run to give the Bees a 36-28 halftime lead.

The Bees used an 8-0 run midway through the second half to turn a four-point lead into a 55-43 advantage. The lead stayed in double figures the rest of the way.

The SAU defense held St. Francis to 34 percent shooting. The Bees are 14-1 overall.

SAU Survives Despite Offensive Struggles

Dec. 27, 2009

St. Ambrose shot less than 33 percent from the floor but thanks to a strong defensive effort, was able to come away with a 63-54 win over Doane in a first round game of the Saint Xavier Holiday Tournament in Chicago, Ill.

The Queen Bees limited Doane to 31 percent shooting and forced 29 turnovers in improving to 13-1 overall.

A back-and-forth first half saw SAU score the half's final nine points as the Bees took a 33-24 lead. Jenny Clark hit a pair of 3-pointers around an Ali Dolphin three-point play in the run. The lead grew to double digits early in the second half. Doane got to within 55-52 with 3:24 to play but Dolphin hit two free throws and Megan Cash buried a 3-pointer to restore an eight-point lead with 1:48 to go. SAU held on from there.

Dolphin led four Bees in double figures with 16 points. She added 10 rebounds, eight assists and four steals. Clark and Cash each netted 12 points while Ashley Dexter came off the bench to chip in with 10 points.

St. Ambrose will play St. Francis, Ill., in a semifinal match up Monday night.

Clark Named MCC Player of the Week

Dec. 21, 2009

Senior guard Jenny Clark was named the Midwest Collegiate Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week after leading St. Ambrose to a pair of wins last week.

Clark, from Cambridge, Ill., averaged 23 points as the Bees defeated Fresno Pacific and Holy Names at the Las Vegas Hoopla over the weekend.

She started the week by tying a school-record with eight 3-pointers on her way to 25 points in a 79-58 win over Fresno Pacific. She added five steals, four rebounds and three assists.

The next night, Clark scored 21 points in an 85-61 win over Holy Names. She also recorded six assists, four rebounds and four steals.

Through SAU's 12-1 start, Clark is averaging 16.4 points per game. She has knocked down a team-high 51 3-pointers while shooting better than 43 percent from beyond the arc.

Bees Win Second Straight in Las Vegas

Dec. 20, 2009

Jenny Clark scored 21 points and Ali Dolphin added 20 as St. Ambrose defeated Holy Names 85-61 to win both games as part of the Las Vegas Hoopla. The Bees defeated Fresno Pacific 79-58 on Saturday and are now 12-1 overall this season.

Again, SAU did much of its damage from beyond the arc. The Bees hit 14 of their 34 3-point attempts. Clark hit four while Megan Cash and Annie Smith each connected on three.

A day after tying the school record by making eight 3-pointers, Clark started Sunday's game with back-to-back triples for a quick 6-0 lead. Holy Names scored eight straight points to take the lead but with the game tied at 12-12, SAU went on a 10-0 run. Smith hit two of her 3-pointers during the run.

The lead was 47-25 at halftime before Holy Names cut the deficit to 13 points on three different occasions in the second half. Each time SAU answered and pulled away for the win.

Cash finished with 16 points and Smith added 12. Lauren Ryan came off the bench to drop in eight points. Sarah Medland scored four points and grabbed a team-best eight rebounds.

St. Ambrose will compete in a three-day tournament at Saint Xavier Dec. 27-29. More information on the tournament is available here.

Clark Ties School Mark Again in Win

Dec. 19, 2009

Jenny Clark tied a school record by knocking down eight 3-pointers in St. Ambrose's 79-58 win over Fresno Pacific as part of the Las Vegas Hoopla.

The senior guard has buried eight triples in a game five different times in her career. She also shares the mark with Casey Breitbach who did it twice.

Saturday, Clark hit 8-of-18 from beyond the arc to finish with a game-high 25 points. She was one of four Queen Bees to hit double figures, joining Megan Cash (13), Annie Smith (12), Ali Dolphin (11) and Lauren Ryan (10).

As a team, SAU hit 15 3-pointers in the win. The Bees scored the game's first eight points behind two triples from Cash. St. Ambrose took its largest lead of the half when Clark buried a 3-pointer for a 43-21 halftime advantage.

Fresno Pacific got to within 14 points in the second half but SAU answered and pushed the lead back to 31 points before taking the 79-58 win. The Queen Bees improve to 11-1 overall.

Defense Keys St. Ambrose Victory

Dec. 13, 2009

Struggling from the floor, St. Ambrose relied on its defense to post a 62-42 win over Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Sunday afternoon in Lee Lohman Arena.

The Queen Bees held the visitors to 27 percent shooting while forcing 33 turnovers in improving to 10-1 overall. The defensive effort helped SAU overcome 24 percent shooting.

A sluggish first half saw the Bees lead by as many as 10 points before settling for a 21-16 halftime advantage. SAU picked up its play in the second half, outscoring Saint Mary-of-the-Woods 41-26. The Pomeroys connected on only 13-of-48 shots from the field in the loss.

Annie Smith came off the bench to lead St. Ambrose with 16 points. She hit four of her nine 3-point attempts and also grabbed six rebounds. Megan Cash scored 12 points and Ali Dolphin added a double-double of 10 points and 10 boards.

SAU will travel to Las Vegas to compete in the Las Vegas Hoopla on Saturday and Sunday. The Bees will play Fresno Pacific and Holy Names. For more information on the tournament, click here.

Clark Leads Bees to Win Over Madonna

Dec. 11, 2009

Jenny Clark scored 22 points to lead St. Ambrose to a 76-65 win over Madonna Friday night. The senior guard hit 7-of-10 from the field, including 6-of-9 from beyond the arc, as the Queen Bees improved to 9-1 overall.

Other than Clark, both teams struggled offensively. SAU shot less than 32 percent while Madonna (3-4) shot at a 35-percent clip. The Bees forced 20 turnovers while committing only 10 themselves.

After SAU led for much of the game, the Crusaders built a four-point lead at 54-50 midway through the second half. A 6-0 run, capped by a Clark triple, gave the Bees a 56-54 lead. SAU slowly built its lead from there, scoring the final five points of the game to take the 11-point win.

Ali Dolphin knocked down 9-of-10 from the line on her way to 16 points. She added 13 rebounds and six assists. Megan Cash also hit for double figures, scoring 11. Annie Smith finished with eight points.

St. Ambrose will host Saint Mary-of-the-Woods Sunday at 2 p.m.

Second-Half Surge Pushes SAU Past Augustana

Dec. 9, 2009

Video highlights, courtesy TV-11

St. Ambrose outscored Augustana 38-17 in the second half to earn a 72-47 win over their cross-river rival. The Queen Bees improved to 8-1 overall.

After leading by as many as 10 points in the first half, SAU settled for a 34-30 halftime lead before blowing things open in the second half. A big 15-0 run turned a 41-34 lead into a 56-34 advantage with less than eight minutes to play. Five different Bees scored during the spurt, led by five points from Jenny Clark.

St. Ambrose held Augustana (3-4) to only four points during the first 12 minutes of the second half. The Vikings hit only 31 percent of their shots over the final 20 minutes.

Ali Dolphin led the way with 20 points, seven rebounds, five steals and four assists. She was joined in double figures by Clark (15 points) and Megan Cash (10). Shelley Charvat came off the bench to hit two 3-pointers to finish with six points.

The Bees will next host the SAU Classic Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Friday, SAU will play Madonna at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Madonna will play Saint Mary-of-the-Woods at 1 p.m.; and Sunday, SAU will play Saint Mary-of-the-Woods at 2 p.m.

Dolphin Named MCC Player of the Week

Dec. 7, 2009

Junior Ali Dolphin was named the Midwest Collegiate Conference Player of the Week after leading the Queen Bees to a pair of conference victories last week.

The 5-9 forward from Marshalltown, Iowa, averaged 18.5 points, nine rebounds, 4.5 assists and two steals in wins at #16 Grand View and at home against Mount Mercy. She shot nearly 48 percent from the floor and hit 15-of-20 from the line.

Dolphin led the Bees in points (25), rebounds (10), assists (six), steals (four) and blocked shots (two) in a 65-60 win at Grand View. With SAU nursing a one-point lead with just over two minutes to play, she converted a three-point play and later hit a jumper to help seal the win.

Saturday, plagued with foul trouble, Dolphin chipped in with 12 points and eight boards in just 18 minutes in a 76-67 win over Mount Mercy. Again, she came up big down the stretch. After the Mustangs trimmed what had been a 22-point SAU lead down to just three points, Dolphin scored four straight points to key a 6-0 run to secure the victory.

Through St. Ambrose's 7-1 start, Dolphin is averaging 17.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per contest. She has also registered 35 assists, 26 steals and five blocked shots in seven games.

SAU Hangs On to Improve to 2-0 in MCC Play

Dec. 5, 2009

Video highlights, courtesy TV-11

Lauren Ryan led five players in double figures as St. Ambrose improved to 2-0 in Midwest Collegiate Conference play with a 76-67 win over Mount Mercy Saturday afternoon.

The Queen Bees led wire-to-wire but were challenged in the second half. After leading by as many as 22 points late in the first half and 40-21 at the break, SAU saw most of its lead evaporate. Mount Mercy (5-6, 1-1 MCC) clawed back to within three points twice in the second half, the last time coming at 66-63 with 1:33 to play.

But Ali Dolphin, saddled with foul trouble for much of the game, scored four straight points and Megan Cash knocked down two free throws to restore a nine-point lead with 27 seconds remaining.

After shooting 58 percent from the floor in the first half, SAU finished at 48 percent shooting for the game. Dolphin and Jenny Clark each finished with 12 points while Cash and Ashley Dexter each scored 10.

St. Ambrose (7-1 overall) will host Augustana Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Bees Open MCC Play with Win at #16 Grand View

Dec. 2, 2009

Ali Dolphin scored a game-high 25 points to lead #22 St. Ambrose to a 65-60 win at #16 Grand View in the Midwest Collegiate Conference opener for both teams. The Queen Bees are 6-1 overall.

Dolphin came up with five big points down the stretch. After Grand View had trimmed the SAU lead to 59-58 with just over two minutes remaining, the junior forward grabbed an offensive rebound and scored while drawing a foul. Her three-point play put the Bees in front 62-58. Dolphin later hit a jumper with 23 seconds left to give SAU a two-possession lead at 64-60. Megan Cash completed the scoring with a free throw in the closing seconds.

Along with her 25 points, Dolphin led SAU with 10 rebounds, six assists, four steals and two blocked shots. Cash (12 points) and Jenny Clark (11) also hit double figures.

The Bees led the entire way, starting with Clark's 3-pointer seven seconds into the game. The lead was as big as 15 points late in the first half. Grand View (9-4 overall) chipped away and got to within the single point before Dolphin and the Bees slammed the door.

The SAU defense limited the Vikings to 31-percent shooting from the field and forced 23 turnovers. That helped the Bees overcome a 34-percent effort from the floor and a 35-18 discrepancy in free throw attempts.

St. Ambrose will host conference foe Mount Mercy Saturday at 1 p.m.

SAU Suffers First Loss of Season at Millikin

Nov. 29, 2009

St. Ambrose shot just 35 percent from the floor in dropping a 69-53 decision at Millikin Sunday afternoon. The Queen Bees' first loss of the year drops the team to 5-1 overall.

SAU led by as many as four points in the first half but Millikin (2-2) used an 8-0 run to grab a 27-20 lead midway through the opening half. The Bees responded with seven straight points, capped by a jumper from Mary Burmeister, to pull to within 27-26, but SAU did not score over the final 3:55 and trailed 34-26 at the half.

Back-to-back 3-pointers from Jenny Clark got SAU to within 34-32 but the Bees would get no closer the rest of the way.

While struggling from the field, the Bees were also out-rebounded 39-23.

Clark led the team with 17 points, which included four 3-pointers. Megan Cash dropped in 16.

St. Ambrose will begin Midwest Collegiate Conference play Wednesday at Grand View. The women's game tips off at 5:30 p.m.

Strong Second Half Leads Bees to 5-0

Nov. 24, 2009

St. Ambrose limited Illinois-Springfield to 21-percent shooting in the second half in improving to 5-0 with a 73-56 win on the road.

The Queen Bees led only 39-36 at the half before pulling away in the final 20 minutes, thanks largely to the defense. UIS (1-1) was able to knock down only 6-of-29 shots in the second half. The Prairie Stars missed all seven of their 3-point attempts in the half as well.

Megan Cash led three Bees in double figures with 16 points. Ali Dolphin scored 15 and Jenny Clark netted 14 in the win.

SAU will look to keep its unbeaten start alive Sunday when the Bees visit Millikin.

Four Hit Double Figures as SAU Moves to 4-0

Nov. 21, 2009

Video highlights, courtesy TV-11

Jenny Clark led four players in double figures as St. Ambrose moved to 4-0 overall following an 84-48 win over Illinois College Saturday afternoon. Ali Dolphin scored 16, Megan Cash netted 14 and Mary Burmeister dropped in 10 in the win.

The Bees started slowly, falling behind 10-9, before hitting their stride. A 13-0 run, highlighted by 3-pointers from Cash, Shelley Charvat and Delaney Graziano, put the Bees up 22-10 and they never looked back. Clark's layup late in the half gave SAU a 52-25 halftime lead. Cash and Clark each scored 14 points in the first half.

Both teams struggled offensively, shooting less than 40 percent, in the second half, but the Bees were never threatened.

Thanks to a 56 percent shooting effort in the first half, SAU shot nearly 48 percent from the floor for the game. Clark knocked down four of the team's 10 triples. The Bee defense limited Illinois College (1-1) to 32 percent shooting and forced 29 IC turnovers.

Cash Nets 30 as Bees Improve to 3-0

Nov. 17, 2009

Video highlights, courtesy TV-11

Megan Cash came off the bench to score 30 points in just 23 minutes to lead St. Ambrose to an 89-55 win over Rockford College. She dropped in 21 of her points in the first half as the Queen Bees moved to 3-0 this season.

Cash did much of her damage from beyond the arc, knocking down 6-of-8 3-pointers. She finished 11-of-16 from the floor and 2-of-2 from the line while adding three rebounds, three steals and two assists in the win.

Rockford (0-1) scored the game's first four points before the Bees went on a 25-2 run, led by Cash's nine points, to take control. The lead was 11 before SAU scored the last nine points of the half to take a 44-24 halftime lead. The Bees were never threatened in the second half.

Senior Jenny Clark dropped in 4-of-9 triples to finish with 14 points. Seven different players hit a 3-pointer as SAU finished 15-of-40 from beyond the arc. Ali Dolphin and Sarah Medland each scored 11. Dolphin added four rebounds, seven assists and 10 steals.

The Bees limited Rockford to less than 31 percent shooting from the floor and also forced 33 turnovers. SAU committed only 10 turnovers.

St. Ambrose will host Illinois College Saturday at 11:30 a.m.

SAU Moves to 2-0 to Start Season

Nov. 12, 2009

The St. Ambrose Queen Bees women’s basketball team advanced to 2-0 yesterday with a win over McKendree at home. McKendree, who fell to 2-2 after the matchup, was outscored by the Fighting Bees 78-62.

SAU’s Ali Dolphin, who put up 26 points in the game, was Ambrose’s leading scorer and offensive leader. Fourteen of those points came in the game’s first half, where Annie Smith scored eight points and Jenny Clark put up seven.

Smith, along with SAU’s Lauren Ryan, finished the game with 10 total points. Clark capped off her offensive performance with 11 points.

The SAU women’s team will take on Rockford at home on November 17 at 5 p.m.

Clark Matches School Record for Threes in Season-Opening Win

Nov. 3, 2009

Video highlights, courtesy TV-11

Senior Jenny Clark tied a school record by knocking down eight 3-pointers in SAU's 86-74 season-opening win over St. Francis (Ill.). Clark hit 8-of-13 from beyond the arc to finish with a game-high 26 points.

The senior guard has buried eight triples in a game four different times in her career. She also shares the mark with Casey Breitbach who did it twice.

Clark hit four in each half but her biggest came right before the halftime buzzer when she banked in a deep 3-pointer to give the Queen Bees a 48-33 halftime edge.

Clark was just one of several Bees to find long-range success. Annie Smith hit four 3-pointers and finished with 17 points and Megan Cash knocked down a pair on her way to 15 points. Delaney Graziano hit her only attempt from beyond the arc as St. Ambrose made 15 threes.

Ali Dolphin was her consistent self, finishing with 15 points, a game-best 13 rebounds, and seven assists.

St. Francis got to as close as nine points on three separate occasions in the final five minutes but the Bees held off any potential charge.

SAU will host McKendree Thursday at 5:30 p.m.

Queen Bees Preseason Favorites in MCC

Oct. 27, 2009

The 2009-10 Midwest Collegiate Conference women's basketball preseason poll has been released, and St. Ambrose has been predicted as the top team in the conference based on the vote of league coaches.

The Queen Bees, ranked 20th in the NAIA Preseason Poll, finished first in a close race at the top, receiving 74 points and three first-place votes. SAU edged out Mount Mercy for the top spot, as the Mustangs received 73 points and four first-place votes. Grand View was third with 67 points and two first-place votes, while defending regular season and tournament champion Iowa Wesleyan was fourth with 48 points.

St. Ambrose finished 20-11 last year, including an 11-5 mark in the MCC good for fourth place. The Queen Bees lost in the MCC Tournament Semifinals last year and return the past two MCC Player of the Year award winners in Jenny Clark (2007-08 winner) and Ali Dolphin (2008-09).

"With three different teams getting multiple first-place votes, it appears it is going to be a very competitive, tight and exciting year for women's basketball in the MCC," said St. Ambrose Head Coach Nathan Altenhofen. "Even though it has not fared well for some of the preseason favorites these past few years, we will enjoy the challenge of the upcoming season and appreciate the early October ratings."

MCC Women's Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll
1. St. Ambrose - 74 points (3 first-place votes)
2. Mount Mercy - 73 points (4 first-place votes)
3. Grand View - 67 points (2 first-place votes)
4. Iowa Wesleyan - 48 points
5. Waldorf - 41 points
6. Viterbo - 35 points
7. William Penn - 29 points
8. Ashford - 26 points
9. Clarke - 12 points

St. Ambrose Ranked 20th in NAIA Preseason Poll

Oct. 27, 2009

St. Ambrose is ranked 20th in the NAIA Division II Women's Basketball Coaches' Top 25 Preseason Poll, the NAIA announced Monday. The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the conferences.

The Queen Bees graduated only one senior from a 2008-09 team that finished 20-11 overall and fourth in the Midwest Collegiate Conference with an 11-5 mark. Second team All-American and MCC Player of the Year Ali Dolphin and three-time all-conference pick Jenny Clark return to lead the Bees.

St. Ambrose will open the season Nov. 3 at home against St. Francis (Ill.).

Morningside College (Iowa), the defending national champion, received 15 of the 16 first-place votes to top the poll. Northwestern College (Iowa) is second and Davenport University (Mich.) received the other first-place vote and sits third. Hastings College (Neb.) and Shawnee State University (Ohio) round out the top five.

Conference foes Mount Mercy and Grand View did not crack the top-25 but received votes in the poll.

The first regular-season poll will be announced on Nov. 30.

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