Boilers begin preseason Sunday

By Danielle Mitchell
Staff Writer

The Purdue women's basketball team will go into the unknown against international opponents.

At 2 p.m. Sunday in Mackey Arena the Boilermakers play RTU Klondaika, a team from Latvia, in their first exhibition game. The NCAA runners-up don’t know too much about the skills of their foreign opponents.

"It's hard to prepare for," coach Kristy Curry said. "And that’s what you want — to be truly challenged."

RTU Klondaika will have played two games already, against Ball State and Eastern Illinois, before facing off against the Boilermakers.

Curry, who enters her third year as Purdue's women's basketball coach, said she is worried about the health of her players, with sophomore guard Erika Valek still recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, which she sustained last March in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.

"We want to be healthy," Curry said. "And right now we aren't."

In anticipation of their upcoming season, the Boilermakers have been going through a lot of offensive sets in an effort to boost scoring. With the departure of seniors Katie Douglas, Camille Cooper and four other players, Purdue lost 60.9 percent of its scoring last season.

Valek, who averaged 6.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game last season, said Purdue is eager to see how things go.

"I think that it's hard for the new people to get adjusted and put that in game situations," Valek said.

With a lot of new talent on the team, the women's basketball team has a few adjustments to make. Freshman forwards Emily Heikes and Hannah Anderson, junior guard Mandy Davis and senior Laura Meadows are likely to see their first game action as Boilers Sunday.

"A lot of people here are new," Valek said. "We're going to have to show them what it's like to play in Mackey Arena."

Senior guard Kelly Komara said the new player to watch is Meadows, who sat out all last year after transferring from Kentucky.

"She is a good passer and shooter," Komara said. "And she knows the game."

Komara said she wants to be the go-to scorer as she was throughout her high school career.

"We lost a lot of top scorers," Komara said. "I have to step up as a leader because I'm one of the only returning seniors."

After a long summer of training and conditioning, the Boilermakers are ready to play. They're conditioned, but they want to play as a cohesive unit.

"We need to work on team chemistry," Komara said. "We need to be good friends on and off the court."

The team goes into this exhibition game hoping to prepare for their Nov. 11 game with Oklahoma, which will officially open the 2001-02 regular season.

"We only have nine more practices until we play Oklahoma," Curry said. "The exhibition is a good scrimmage in a game-like situation."

With a new season ahead of them, the Boilers have to focus on the future and forget about the 66-68 loss to Notre Dame in the 2001 national championship game.

"We have to forget about what happened in the past and focus on two more points, because that's what it's going to come down to," Valek said.

Pass offense to face tough defense in Illinois

Boilers begin preseason Sunday

Keady opens practice, fits team with helmets

Boilers to face two ranked teams

Swimmers lose in new pool, prepare to face Miami of Ohio

SPORTS DESK PHONE:
(765) 743-1111 ext. 251

Sports editor:
Paul Trembacki

Assistant sports editor:
Doug Healey

To send a letter to the editor, please email sports@purdueexponent.org