COBLESKILL WOMEN OPEN SEASON WITH 51-37 DECISION OVER CLINTON

Hit by a rash off injuries and illness that left only seven healthy bodies for their 2006-07 season home opener versus Clinton Community College the SUNY Cobleskill women’s basketball team scrapped and clawed their way to a 51-37 victory on Saturday afternoon in the friendly confines of the Iorio Gymnasium. The victory marked the Fighting Tigers fourth consecutive opening day win since 2003.

Cobleskill displayed a creative game plan defensively using more zone than usual coupled with some selected moments of full court pressure. On the offensive end the shorthanded Fighting Tigers ran selectively and used their size advantage to grind the smaller Cougars into submission.

Senior guard/forward Kim Stahl, Scotia, NY, Scotia-Glenville High School, led the way performing a multitude of tasks in the victory posting 14 points to go with nine rebounds, two assists and two steals. On the inside senior forward Kim McMillen, Greenville, NY, Greenville High School, pounded the paint for 11 points and nine rebounds while freshman center Abby Wilcox, Cobleskill, NY, Cobleskill-Richmondville High School, notched a double/double in her first collegiate contest with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Erin O’Rourke, South Glens Falls, NY, South Glens Falls High School, also played a major role in the victory with eight points, two steals and two assists.

“I thought that we played okay for the first game with only seven healthy players dressed,” said Fighting Tiger Head Coach Josh Suttles. “Defensively we had to play more zone than we’re usually accustomed to playing but we did a pretty good job. Offensively we’ve still got a long way to go but we’ve got time to put it together. I though Abby Wilcox played a really good game today and that when Kim McMillen was on the floor that she did a very good job also. We’ll get two more people healthy on Monday for practice and things will start to get back to normalcy.”

The Fighting Tigers will next be in action on Thursday November 9th when they host the Generals of Herkimer Community College in each team’s Mountain Valley Conference season opener at the Iorio Gymnasium beginning at 7:00 PM.

TIGER NOTES: The victory was the team’s 60th win under Head Coach Josh Suttles since he took the reigns of the program in 2003. Senior guard Erin O’Rourke has a family connection to Fighting Tiger basketball as she is the cousin to SUNY Cobleskill Athletic Director/Head Men’s Basketball Coach Kevin McCarthy and Associate Men’s Basketball Coach Joe McCarthy. Another family connection can be seen on the Cobleskill bench as senior Kim McMillen’s twin sister senior Kara McMillen, Greenville, NY, Greenville High School, is one of the team’s student assistants. The Fighting Tigers were much improved at the free throw line over last season’s opener in the game hitting on 16 of 25 attempts from the charity stripe.