Players who have finished their stints cheer for a teammate's score. (Stanford Athletics)
In what was definitely not a nail-biter, the Stanford
women’s basketball team opened its regular season with an 87-42 home win over
UNC Greensboro on Nov. 3.
As had been true in the exhibition win over Cal State
LA, the Cardinal’s superior height was a big factor.
Sparsely attended with only 2,068 fans, the game was
never in doubt. The visitors’ first score, a 3-pointer, didn’t come until just over
three minutes into the first quarter.
In the meantime, freshman forward Lara Somfai had
already scored Stanford’s first three baskets. She wound up with 15 total points
to lead the five Stanford players in double figures.
Also in the double-figure column were two other
freshmen: forward Alex Eschmeyer with 13 and guard Hailee Swain with 12. Two
juniors -- guard Chloe Clardy with 12 and forward Nunu Agara with 10 -- joined
them.
All 12 available players got into the game and scored.
Reflective of the team’s emphasis on sisterhood, players on the bench erupted
in cheers as two less-used players – sophomore forward Harper Peterson and
freshman guard Carly Amborn – scored late in the game.
The unavailable players were senior guards Stavi
Papadaki and Lauren Green along with sophomore center Kennedy Umeh. None of
them appeared to be seriously impaired.
Starters for the game were Nunu, Lara, Hailee, junior forward
Courtney Ogden and senior guard Talana Lepolo.
Stanford’s height helped to snare 44 rebounds vs. the
Spartans’ 23.
Of Stanford’s seven 3’s, Chloe had two. One each came
from Nunu, Lara, Alex, Carly and junior forward Mary Ashley Stevenson.
Free-throw shooting was a Stanford plus with 14 of 16,
so were the 15 assists. Turnovers were a
minus with 13.
Up next, Stanford hosts neighboring Santa Clara at 7
p.m. Nov. 6 followed by Cal Poly at 1 p.m. Nov. 9.
