First year head coach Charles Marshall provides direction to
Lady Pioneers during Sunday's conference championship game
Story and Photos by Drew Moody
Glenville State College's Lady Pioneers captured the Mountain East Conference Championship Sunday defeating the University of Charleston 74-50. It was the second time during the tournament Coach Charles Marshall anticipated opponents strategy and turned their plans against them.
While known as a running team averaging 99.8 points per game during the season, they adjusted to the University of Charleston's efforts to slow down the pace, proving they're not a "one trick pony."
Senior Kenyona Simmons, the tournament MVP, led Glenville with 16 points. Ginny Mills, Kenyell Goodson and Taisa Bistow earned all-tourney honors.
Tasia Bristow drives against UC defender
The team's pace and full court presses can have the effect of almost paralyzing an opponent, as it did during their tournament quarterfinal 75-53 win over Wheeling Jesuit. The 103-75 victory over WV State in the semifinals set up the finals pairing against Charleston.
It's been a wild exciting ride for first year head coach Charles Marshall and the Lady Pioneers.
As soon as team members realized there wasn't enough
time remaining for the University of Charleston to
overtake their lead early sideline celebrations began
Lady Pioneers team photo with Mountain East
Conference championship trophy and banner
On October 9, just weeks before basketball season began Bunky Harkleroad announced he'd accepted a Division 1 coaching job in California and was taking the assistant coach with him.
Nine days later Marshall, former Lady Pioneer assistant coach the first two years of Harkleroad's tenure, was hired as head coach. Marshall was at the helm less than two weeks before the team had their first scrimmage games in North Carolina.
Neither Marshall or the Lady Pioneers ever looked back.
The NCAA Div. II Atlantic Regional Tournament will be held Friday, Saturday and Monday at Glenville State College.
West Liberty, seeded eighth, will play No. 1 seed Glenville State Friday at 6 p.m.
Other first-round games Friday are Shaw vs. Gannon at noon, Charleston
vs. Edinboro at 2:30, and Virginia State vs. Bloomsburg at 8:30.
Ticket Prices: General Admission - $7.00, Students (must show student ID), Seniors, and Children - $3.00. Tickets may be purchased at the door.
The Mountain East Conference has created a web page with scheduling, directions to Glenville and a phone number to call for purchasing tickets in advance. mountaineast.org
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