Muleskinner

Issue date: 1/24/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Amanda Fischer: for the Muleskinner Jennies' guard Kara Fleming drives passes a Lady Hornet in Saturday's game. Fleming returned to the lineup after recoverting from a shoulder injury. [Click to enlarge]

When asked if the Jennies' basketball team's six straight losses put the team in panic mode, coach Dave Slifer disagreed by saying that panic mode struck after the team was crushed by Missouri Western Jan. 12.

That was the fifth straight loss.

"We just have to be positive," Slifer said. "There is no sense of throwing everyone under the bus because we're a team that can win a lot of conference games. Obviously, we just have to get that first one."

The Jennies will try to turn things around when they travel to battle with the Lady Bearcats of Northwest Missouri State Saturday. The Jennies are 1-3 in their four previous trips to Maryville.

Last year, the Jennies split the season series 1-1, earning the win at home by a score of 81-66.

This season though, Northwest has been successful in conference play. They have started their MIAA campaign with a 5-1 record, and boast this week's conference player of the week in senior center Mandi Schumacher.

All of that may not matter much, because with good play from junior guard Dominica Blakemore and freshman guard Kara Fleming, Slifer may have found constants other than senior guard Lindsey Maple.

"She has been in and out of my good graces all year long," Slifer said. "I just finally said that I needed to play this young lady, and see what she can give us."

Blakemore, a transfer from Lincoln Trails Community College, in Robinson, Ill., stepped up big in the latest Jennies' hard-fought loss at home to Emporia State the past Saturday.

With her team having a poor offensive night, Blakemore turned up the defense, and put the pressure on the Lady Hornets. She finished with a game high six steals.

"I'm proud of the way she played," Slifer said. "She still had her four turnovers, but at least they were better turnovers for her to have. Defensively, she was much more aggressive and made some outstanding plays."

Fleming, on the other hand, is a player that brings everything to the floor that probably will not show up on a statistics sheet.

"Kara Fleming brings all kinds of intensity, and toughness to a program that really needs it," Slifer said. "You can't say enough about a kid who doesn't lift her arm over her shoulder very well, and is able to get out there and become a defensive presence."

In order for the Jennies to get out of this slump, there might be one thing they need to accomplish.

Even though two players have stepped up, Slifer and Maple both agree the number one priority is playing better defense.

"We still need to work on defense," Maple said. "It's all about defense."

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