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Lady Oilers new and experienced primed for a great season
By Collin Frazier
@Collin_53
Regular season play for the University of Findlay Women’s Basketball team starts tonight in Michigan at Northwood University.
The team kicked off its pre-season games on Nov. 3. Even though the season has just kicked off, there is plenty to be excited about this season for the Lady Oilers.
“We can handle adversity and adapt on the fly,” senior Guard Amber Schweiger said. “This past week, we were scheduled to play three exhibition games against two D1 schools and a D3 school. Before these games, it was required [that] unvaccinated players were to be tested and then it ended up [with] getting them put into quarantine, so we only had nine players to play three games in five days. It was hard on everyone’s bodies, but I could not be happier with how we all managed.”
Even with this ability to adapt and thrive, there is still work to be done.
“I think one of the biggest things we need to work on right now is staying fluid, transitioning from defense to offense,” Schweiger commented. “We sometimes can get spastic, making it hard to play relaxed. I think we just are getting used to putting our entire game plan into motion all at once… Trusting our game plan and being confident enough to execute is something that will come with time.”
The Lady Oilers wrapped up exhibition play, consisting of a 77-60 loss to Cincinnati Nov. 3, a 76-40 victory over Heidelberg Nov. 5, and 89-64 loss at Purdue Nov. 7. Even if the majority of games were not won, so much was learned throughout these matches.
“It has been a while playing in front of a crowd, so the energy has been there,” Schweiger proclaimed. “We also had a home game with an awesome turn out. We had fun playing Heidelberg and could tell pieces are coming together. The opportunity to play [against] a Big 10 school was a once in a lifetime opportunity. The best part is, we put up 64 points against them. These three games showed us that once we work out the small hiccups, we are going to be a tough team to play in the G-MAC.”
There is a nice balance of upperclassmen and underclassmen this season, and this allows for every player to contribute to the team this season.
“Everyone on our team is here for a reason and has a specific role on the team,” Schweiger explained. “If everyone is perfecting their job on the team, that’s when we will be the most successful no matter what age you are. Being an upperclassman, I can’t express how important it is to help and correct the younger players because it is for the success of our team.”
The Lady Oilers will kick the regular season with a Friday road trip to Northwood followed by a Saturday trip to Saginaw Valley. With a full roster returning, the best is yet to come this season.
“We should have some players out of quarantine by this point so we can finally work as a whole unit again. I think the biggest thing we should expect from them is hard working athletes and the teams having a solid fan base.”
“It is always interesting on the road because you never know what to expect,” Schwieger continued. “If we focus on our game plan and fix our small issues, we should have no issues with these teams. I think we are about to have our best basketball stretch and I am excited for it.”
Tip-off for the Northwood match Nov. 12 is 5 p.m. and tip-off against Saginaw Valley Nov. 13 is 1 p.m.
