The Triangle

Issue date: 2/1/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Evan Rosen Gabriela Marginean had 15 points and 11 rebounds in her team's loss.

It is nearly impossible to run through the CAA schedule without taking some hits and suffering at least one hard-luck losing streak. The Dragons are hoping their losing streak will stop at two after suffering a 54-50 defeat at the DAC to William and Mary Jan. 27.

The last two games for the Dragons (10-8, 5-2 CAA) came down to the final seconds, but the team has not been able to hit the winning shots as they had in their previous nine outings. Against the Tribe (9-10, 3-4 CAA), the Dragons were given full control of their destiny after Kyra Kaylor dribbled the ball off her foot to cause a turnover with 13 seconds to go in a 52-50 game.

"I love being in that situation," Drexel head coach Denise Dillon said. "As a coach, that is my ideal situation. We have the ball at the end of the game, and whoever has the last possession will win."

That was not the case in this game as Brooke Cornish turned the ball over while running the final play and Devin James hit two free throws to seal the win.

In spite of the final possession, Cornish turned in another solid game with eight points and four blocks in 25 minutes.

Gabriela Marginean led the Dragons in points (15) and rebounds (11) as she achieved her fourth double-double of the season. She too had a turnover down the stretch while trying to force a shot.

"She's consistently playing hard," Dillon said. "She was trying to do a little bit too much at the end of the game. I can understand a player who wants to do whatever it takes to win the game. She's going to want the ball in her hands."

The physical play of William & Mary wore down the Dragons as they trailed for almost the entire ball game. Outside of Marginean, the rest of the Dragons were only able to grab eight rebounds.

"We talked to them about rebounding and said that was the key," Dillon said. "[The Tribe] was really going after the offensive rebounds."

Narissa Suber chipped in with nine points, and she matched a career-high with five assists.

Kyra Kaylor led all scorers with 16 points on six-of-nine shooting. Like Marginean, Kaylor is a First-Team All-CAA Preseason player and proved it on both ends of the floor as she grabbed eight boards and kept Marginean in check on the defensive end.

Immediately after the loss, Coach Dillon had this to say to her players, "You've got to take some steps forward. We're going up against some good teams now. We've got to play 40 minutes of basketball. You can't just decide to play half the game."

The Dragons will have a chance to get back in the winning column Feb. 3 at Hofstra. They return home Feb. 7 to take on the Georgia State Panthers.

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