At 91����Ƶ, Ygarza developed into a versatile post player who became the only woman in program history to capture All-ODAC First Team honors three times, earning the distinction in 2012, 2013 and 2014; she received VaSID All-State Second Team honors those same three years. During her sophomore and senior years, Ygarza made the D3hoops.com All-South Region Third Team and won the 91����Ƶ Female Athlete of the Year award. She still remembers pulling out an exciting win against rival Bridgewater in “the kind of moment athletes dream of” to spark a 22-4 record for the 2011-2012 season—a season she shot 58 percent from the field, an 91����Ƶ record that stands today. Ygarza also ranks seventh all-time in scoring with 1,215 points and eighth in career rebounds with 671.

Ygarza played the last two of her four seasons with her sister. Ygarza currently works as a nurse at UPMC Lititz hospital, close to where the two grew up. She also serves as an adjutant general officer for human resources in the Army Reserve with her unit in Waldorf, Maryland. She still plays basketball regularly and looks forward to introducing her four-year-old son, Jace, to the game.

Having her family there helped Alicia recover from a tough loss after a standout season when the team posted a 15-1 conference record and a 23-5 overall record (After the loss, the Royals received an NCAA tournament bid, where they lost to undefeated Thomas More College in Crestview Hills, Kentucky, in the second round).

“I cried. It was so heartbreaking,” said her mother, Joyce Ygarza, referring to the family’s emotions in their hotel room following the semi-final loss. Joyce and her husband, who live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, have been loyal fans since the girls began playing at age 4.

It was easier to get to games when the girls were playing at , than when they opted to attend a university more than three hours from home. The trips south to Harrisonburg meant many hotel rooms and late nights. And the rigorous schedule of basketball kept Bianca and Alicia away from home for the majority of the holidays.

Despite these challenges, Joyce said 91����Ƶ has been a great choice for both daughters: “It’s helped them grow up.”

Coach , a 10-year veteran with the program, has played a large role in this, making coaching and mentoring the whole student-athlete a priority.

The elder sister

Bianca graduated from 91����Ƶ with a degree in . It is one of the most demanding majors 91����Ƶ offers. Many late nights are spent with a head crammed in an anatomy textbook. And when nursing students have their clinicals (the nursing equivalent of an internship), they often awake and leave for the hospital before the sun rises.

“There were times I cried because I thought I would fail out of nursing school,” Bianca recalls. She has one more hurdle to cross. Now back in Lancaster, she spends her time studying for the NCLEX, an exam that aspiring nurses must pass in order to receive their nursing license.

While in school, Coach “Griff,” as he is called by his players, gave Bianca his support, giving advice when she confided troubling life situations, she says. Griffin says he likes his players to be exemplary role models, both on and off the court.

“Two of the hardest working kids I have ever coached,” Griffin says of the Ygarza sisters.

The artistic sister

Alicia’s hard work shows off the court. A digital media major with a talent for singing, Alicia often finds herself after practice in the lab working on a project, or in a practice room in the basement of Lehman Auditorium with a cup of tea practicing her vocals.

Alicia started singing around the age of 6, mostly in church. She performs in the gospel choir, and at chapels and banquets. She recently gave two riveting performances at a campus event featuring .

Since her freshman year, she has developed increased confidence in her artistic expression, says her academic advisor, , a professor in the . He says that, above all, he has seen Alicia’s maturity of thought develop.

The digital media major, Holsopple says, is very public – students’ productions often find themselves under critique, which means students’ progress is often witnessed, and supported, by the campus community.

On the court, Alicia is not afraid to make suggestions to the coaches during time-outs. She plays the point, a role that does not always make for a glamorous stat-line. She directs the offense, sees the court, and gets players involved in the game.

Bianca, during her time at 91����Ƶ, was a versatile post player. She earned first-team all-ODAC honors as a sophomore, junior, and senior, and she was the 91����Ƶ Women’s Athlete of the Year in her sophomore and senior years. She joined 91����Ƶ’s 1,000 point club as a senior, finishing her career with 1,215 points. This placed her sixth in the program’s history.

The two sisters grew up playing basketball together, but they are more than teammates. During the two years that they overlapped at 91����Ƶ, Bianca says that they would hang out nearly every day. They aren’t just sisters, they’re best friends.

All of 91����Ƶ’s ODAC-sponsored sports were represented on the All-Academic Team.�� Men’s volleyball competes in the Continental Volleyball Conference and is not eligible for the ODAC team.

The ODAC All-Academic Team eclipsed 1,000 student-athletes for the eighth consecutive year and set a new high-water mark for conference honorees for the fifth year in a row.�� With representatives from each of the 17 ODAC institutions (including Catholic University for football only and Greensboro College and Notre Dame of Maryland University for swimming only), 1,558 student-athletes earned recognition on the 2013-14 ODAC All-Academic Team.

Eligibility for the ODAC All-Academic Team is open to any student-athlete that competes in a conference-sponsored sport, regardless of academic class.�� He or she must achieve at least a 3.25 grade point average for the year to be considered for an ODAC All-Academic Award.

For more information, visit the ODAC’s home on the Internet at��. ��Don’t forget to become a fan of the ODAC on����and follow����on Twitter.

The entire list of Royals named to the ODAC All-Academic Team is listed below.����

91����Ƶ’s ODAC All-Academic Team
Elizabeth Alderfer – Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Kayley Argenbright – Women’s Volleyball
Jordan Aylor – Softball
Becky Barrett – Women’s Basketball
Trey Barrett – Men’s Basketball
Tyler Brenneman – Men’s Soccer
Carol Brinkley – Field Hockey
Jonathan Bush – Men’s Soccer, Track & Field
Lauren Campbell – Softball
McKenna Carter – Women’s Volleyball
Hannah Chappell-Dick – Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Robert Cook – Men’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Melissa Cox – Field Hockey
Nicolette Cuevas – Softball
Hannah Daley – Field Hockey
Mary Beth Danaher – Field Hockey
Patty Danaher – Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Paige DeBell – Field Hockey
Tyler Denlinger – Men’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Jenessa Derstine – Field Hockey
Erica Detweiler – Women’s Soccer
Katie Eckman – Women’s Cross Country
Mariah Foltz – Softball
Daniel Friesen – Men’s Soccer
Erica Garber – Women’s Track & Field
Carlos Garcia – Men’s Track & Field
Abi Gardner – Field Hockey
Jessica Goertzen – Women’s Volleyball
Naomi Good – Women’s Soccer
Joe Hall – Baseball
Rebecca Hardy – Women’s Volleyball
Derek Harnish – Men’s Soccer
Bethany Hench – Field Hockey
Ryan Henschel – Baseball
Brooke Hensley – Softball
Morgan Hill – Women’s Soccer
Jordan Hollinger – Men’s Soccer
David Hooley – Men’s Soccer
Brendan Jeschke – Men’s Soccer, Track & Field
Viktor Kaltenstein – Men’s Soccer
Brianna Kauffman – Field Hockey
Rachel Kennel – Women’s Volleyball
Louise Krall – Field Hockey
Lanae Kreider – Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Jacob Landis – Men’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Jordan Leaman – Men’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Parker Leap – Men’s Soccer
Mollie Lehman – Field Hockey
Jake Lind – Men’s Soccer
Lexi Link – Women’s Volleyball
Mariah Martin – Field Hockey
Tim Martin – Men’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Dilmer Martinez – Men’s Soccer
Mark Mast – Men’s Soccer
Saralyn Mast – Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Brad Matthias – Baseball
Brittany McDonaldson – Women’s Golf
Macson McGuigan – Men’s Soccer
Chris Miller – Men’s Track & Field
Katie Miller – Women’s Volleyball
Austin Mumaw – Men’s Soccer
Jonathan Nisly – Men’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Ian Norris – Baseball
Nora Osei – Women’s Soccer, Women’s Basketball
Jolee Paden – Women’s Cross Country
Jesse Parker – Men’s Cross Country
Hannah Patterson – Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Dylan Polley – Men’s Soccer
Alicia Poplett – Women’s Soccer
D Probst – Women’s Volleyball
Casey Racer – Softball
Jess Rheinheimer – Women’s Basketball
Steph Rheinheimer – Women’s Basketball
Krista Rittenhouse – Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Kyle Salladay – Baseball
Juni Schirch – Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Caleb Schlabach – Men’s Golf
Chanel Shands – Women’s Basketball
Jacob Shank – Men’s Soccer
Kayla Smeltzer – Women’s Volleyball
Molly Smith – Softball
Nicole Smith – Softball
Ashten Spencer – Women’s Soccer
Mandy Stowers – Field Hockey
Ryan Thomas – Men’s Soccer
Shannan Thompson – Women’s Basketball
John Toney – Men’s Golf
Londen Wheeler – Men’s Track & Field
Camille Williams – Field Hockey
Alex Wynn – Men’s Track & Field
Bianca Ygarza – Women’s Basketball
Alena Yoder – Women’s Volleyball
Andrew Yoder – Men’s Soccer
Chris Yoder – Men’s Basketball
Michelle Zook – Field Hockey
Marla zumFelde – Women’s Basketball

Ygarza led the Royals to their second consecutive NCAA Tournament bid, leading the balanced team in scoring (14.0 ppg), rebounding (6.2 rpg), and field goal percentage (50.9 FG%). She was second on team with 61 assists and third with 33 steals.

The multi-faceted forward ranked in the top 23 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference in 13 categories, including fourth in points per 40 minutes and free throws. Ygarza scored a season high 28 points in 78-72 loss at Ferrum, which was the South Region’s No. 1 team.

She finishes her career with 1,215 career points, good for sixth in program history. Ygarza is also seventh with 671 career rebounds, tied for 13th with 132 steals, and just outside of the top 15 with 179 assists.

D3hoops.com also put Ygarza on the All-Region Third Team after her sophomore season. She is a three-time All-ODAC First Team honoree, and was named ODAC Player of the Week twice this season (four times in her career) and Royals Athlete of the Week once.

Ygarza was one of four ODAC women honored to all-region teams.

Eastern Mennonite finished the year with a record of 22-6, their third straight season with 20 or more wins. For the second year in a row, the Royals won the ODAC’s regular season at 15-1 and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. They were eliminated by Sweet 16 participant Christopher Newport University.

Ygarza is part of a senior class which finishes with the most wins of any class, compiling a record of 80-28 overall and 60-12 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.

Falk named to all-region third team

A big season just got a little bigger for 91����Ƶ men’s basketball player����(Madison, Va./Madison County), as the junior was named to the D3hoops.com All-South Region Third Team. In his first season as a starter, Falk led the nation in rebounding and was also named All-ODAC First Team. Only 15 men from the South Region were named to all-region teams.

The 6-6 Falk started all 28 of Eastern Mennonite’s games this year and responded by averaging a double double at 14.1 points and 13.4 rebounds.�� His 375 total rebounds were 17 better than anyone else in D-III. The athletic big man also swatted 2.93 blocked shots an outing, good for 10th in the nation. He charted 16 double doubles, which was 12th in the country, and shot 59.7% from the floor.

Falk broke 91����Ƶ and ODAC records with 28 rebounds against Lynchburg in the ODAC Tournament. He also broke 91����Ƶ’s record for rebounds in a season with 375, and tied 91����Ƶ’s record for blocked shots in a career with 151. He had 82 blocked shots this year, which gives him 91����Ƶ’s record for blocked shots in a season as well.

Falk also had a memorable weekend when he landed in for a dunk against Randolph College in a Feb. 15 game.

Aside from his All-ODAC First Team award, Falk was also named ODAC Player of the Week once and Royals Athlete of the Week twice this winter. He earned a spot on the all-tournament teams at both weekend tourneys the Runnin’ Royals played at early this season.

Falk was one of five ODAC players honored to all-region teams. Virginia Wesleyan senior D.J. Woodmore was named the South Region’s Player of the Year.

Eastern Mennonite finished the 2013-14 season with a record of 17-11 overall and 10-6 for fifth in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Playing with just one senior, the Runnin’ Royals were playing their best ball at the end of the year, building a six-game winning streak before losing to Hampden-Sydney in the ODAC Tournament semifinals.

Coupled with Lynchburg’s loss at Randolph-Macon, 91����Ƶ’s women now hold a one-lead over the Hornets with six conference games remaining. The Royals host LC to close the regular season on Feb. 22.

The Royals traded leads with Emory & Henry for the first few minutes until a quick 7-0 run gave the women an 18-12 advantage. They wouldn’t trail again. Three-point shooting helped 91����Ƶ open up a 13-point lead during the half. They led 35-25 at the break.

The Wasps chipped to within four points early in the second. Eastern Mennonite settled down and put the lead back around 10 points, and then iced the win by holding EHC scoreless for the final 3:59 of game.

The women forced their hosts into 18 turnovers while only committing 11 themselves. The Royals also out-shot EHC 44 percent-to-38 percent and hit six triples.

Four 91����Ƶ players scored in double figures headed by (Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor). The senior had 17 points, six rebounds and four assists. (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) had her best game as she returns to form from an early-season sprained ankle, going for 12 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

(Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) had 14 points and a game high three steals. (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) added 10 counters.

Kristie Langley was the lone Wasp in double figures as she scored 11.

The Royals play two on the road in the coming week, starting at Washington and Lee on Tuesday. Game time in Lexington is 7 p.m.

The non-stop first half was played to 91����Ƶ’s tempo and they led most of the way.�� However, the Eagles kept pace by hitting 7-of-14 three pointers.�� The Royals used nine offensive rebounds in the frame to lead 41-37 at halftime.

The women had to lead up to as many as seven early in the second before BC came storming back.�� Holly Morgan’s fifth triple of the game tied the score at 58-58 with 10:41 to go.�� (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) answered with a long ball to put 91����Ƶ back up by three, but the Eagles kept charging and finally took a 64-63 lead with 6:30 left.

The Royals answered quickly with back-to-back buckets, triggering an 8-0 run to re-take the lead at 71-64 and forcing a BC timeout with 4:53 to play.�� Another free throw and the women had the lead up to eight points at 72-64.

The defense held the Eagles scoreless for a key stretch of 3:51 to get some breathing room.�� BC then scraped back within five points with two minutes to play before the home team was forced to foul.

Eastern Mennonite made eight straight free throws to balloon the lead to the biggest of the night at 83-71.�� BC got a late bucket to provide the final 10-point margin.

The Royals out-shot their hosts 48% to 43%, and dominated the boards, 43-30.�� The women also grabbed 13 offensive rebounds.�� The free throw line was also a difference-maker, where 91����Ƶ went 19-26, compared to just 8-9 for the Eagles.

(Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor) proved her All-ODAC status by stepping up her play in the rivalry game.�� She had game highs of 23 points, eight rebounds and three steals.�� The power forward also dished out four assists.�� (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds.�� Steph Rheinheimer canned three triples and finished with 11.

(Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) added 10 points.�� (Bristow, Va./Brentsville District) had a game high five assists and (Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) had three steals.

Morgan finished 6-for-12 from outside and led Bridgewater with 20 points and four assists.�� Cassidy Burkholder added 16 counters.

The Royals have now won three in a row to improve to 12-4 overall and 6-1 in the ODAC.�� They enter a huge two-game home stand, welcoming two of the ODAC’s other top teams into Yoder Arena.�� That stretch starts with Guilford College this Saturday at 2:00pm.�� The Quakers have won the last two ODAC Championships.�� Randolph-Macon visits next Tuesday.

Jess Rheinheimer (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) nailed a pair of three pointers as 91����Ƶ jumped ahead 10-0 just 2:09 into the contest. The host Mounties eventually tied the score at 13-13, but the Royals exploded on a 25-9 run over the final 6:04 of the half to lead 43-26 at the break.

Mt. Aloysius got within 11 points at 45-34, but the women kept control in a second half void of any large runs. The Royals led by as many as 21 before the Mountie bench ended the game on a 9-2 run for the final margin.

Eastern Mennonite had a 43-to-35 percent shooting edge, including making 7-of-17 three pointers. Even though MAC only committed 17 fouls, the Royals turned that into 27 free throw attempts, making 17. The women also had a 47-41 advantage on the boards.

Bianca Ygarza (Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor) led a balanced attack with 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists. This is the third time in the past four games that Ygarza has tied her career high with six helpers. Rheinheimer finished with 12 points and a game high nine rebounds. Alisa Brown (Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) added 12 and three steals. Point guard Keyla Baltimore (Bristow, Va./Brentsville District) had 10 points and six assists.

Off the bench, Shakeerah Sykes (Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) was good for nine rebounds and eight points. Nora Osei (Springfield, Va./West Springfield) scored nine points.

Mt. Aloysius’ leading scorer, Becky Bard, scored a game high 20 points, but needed 23 shots to do it.

Eastern Mennonite improves to 7-2 with the win. The women have one more game before the Christmas break, playing at Washington College on Tuesday. Game time in Chestertown, Md., is 6 p.m.

Both teams entered the game at 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, but Eastern Mennonite took over sole possession of first place in the league with the win.

91����Ƶ’s women opened the game with a three pointer from (Manheim, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite), but the WildCats scored back-to-back buckets for a 4-3 lead. The Royals responded with a 14-4 run over the next three minutes, zipping ahead 17-8.

Randolph got back within five points before the women put on the defensive clamps. 91����Ƶ held their visitors scoreless for a span of 4:33, tallying 14 unanswered points to blow open a 37-17 cushion with 7:29 left in the period. By halftime, the Royals led 49-31.

The WildCats got within 15 two times midway through the second half, but the home team pushed back out to their biggest lead at 81-54 with 4:47 left to play. The teams emptied their benches from there, as 91����Ƶ cruised to the 23-point win.

Although the overall shooting percentages were close, the Royals did a ton of damage by going 7-for-17 from three point range. Randolph was just 3-15. 91����Ƶ also dominated at the free throw line, going 22-29 compared to the WildCats’ 9-16. The women also had a 49-40 edge in rebounding, including 18 offensive boards.

After scoring the game’s first points, Rheinheimer led all players with 17 and added six rebounds.�� (Conestoga, Pa./Penn Manor) had 15 points, six assists and six rebounds. It was the forward’s second straight game tying her career high with six handouts. (Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) hit three triples and added 15 points and three steals.

(Dumfries, Va./Forest Park) had 11 points. (Bristow, Va./Brentsville District) did a bit of everything with eight points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. (Damascus, Md./Damascus) was good for nine points and a game high eight rebounds.

Brie Holden led Randolph off the bench with 11 points. Abigail Bullins had nine points and five assists.

The Royals hit the road to wrap up their first-half schedule with three games. That stretch opens with a tough contest at Ferrum this Saturday at 2:00pm.

Ygarza, who was named All-ODAC First Team earlier this year, helped lead a very balanced Royals team to their best ever ODAC finish at 15-1, and just the second NCAA Tournament berth in program history.�� She was second on the team with 9.6 points per game and first with 7.0 rebounds.�� Ygarza led Eastern Mennonite in free throws as well, hitting 80-of-121 tosses.

She finished in the top 23 in the ODAC in 12 different categories.�� During the year, Ygarza scored a season-high 19 points to go with seven rebounds against nationally-ranked Messiah College.�� She also had 15 points, including the game-winning offensive put-back with 1.3 seconds left, in an upset of then nationally-ranked Mary Washington.

The Royals finished the 2012-13 campaign with a record of 21-7 overall after a loss to Marymount (Va.) in the NCAA Tournament.�� The women had a program-best 14-game winning streak snapped in the ODAC Championship game and finished with the fourth-most wins in 91����Ƶ history.

VaSID is comprised of sports information or athletics communications professionals from intercollegiate institutions throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Membership is open to any individual affiliated with one of the state’s institutions at the NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA, community college and independent levels, provided that individual’s area of responsibility lies within the realm of sports information.

Eastern Mennonite finished first in the league at 15-1, besting their previous best ODAC finish of 13-1 from 1984-85. Aside from the win total, a big accomplishment for Griffin was melding a stable full of talented players into a balanced team, as eight women average between 6.5 and 10.1 points. Griffin earns his second ODAC Coach of the Year award in eight years at the helm of 91����Ƶ, as he also won in 2006-07. Griffin has won 135 career games to date, and leads his Royals in search of their third ODAC title.

Ygarza was named All-ODAC First Team for the second straight year, as she led the women’s attack with 10.1 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. The multi-faceted Ygarza is also second on the team with 2.1 assists per game and enters the postseason in the ODAC’s top 17 in 10 different categories.

All-ODAC Second Teamer Sykes, who gave up her starting spot to Ygarza this season, has been an explosive presence coming off the bench for 91����Ƶ. She is averaging 10.0 points and 6.2 rebounds and leads the ODAC with a 53.4% shooting clip. Sykes is also first in the league at 24.7 points per 48 minutes.

The Royals enter the postseason on a 12-game winning streak, which is tied for the longest in program history. Top-seeded 91����Ƶ, 19-5 overall and 15-1 in the ODAC, takes on No. 8 Washington and Lee in the ODAC Quarterfinals Thursday afternoon at 1:00pm.

The Royals take over sole possession of first place in the ODAC at 13-1, while Guilford slips one step back at 12-2. Based on two head-to-head wins, 91����Ƶ also holds the tie-breaker over Guilford should the two teams finished the regular season tied.�� Each has two games left before the ODAC Tournament.

Saturday in Harrisonburg, the Royals turned on their defense and never trailed.�� They held GC to just two field goals over the opening 12:07 of the game and led 17-7 when (Dumfries, VA/Forest Park) converted a three-point play at the 8:09 mark.

The Quakers got within three points at 18-15, but Eastern Mennonite closed the half on an 11-2 surge, capped by a pair of (Manheim, PA/Lancaster Mennonite) three pointers.

91����Ƶ led 29-17 at the half after holding Guilford to just 21% shooting and grabbing 15 offensive boards.

A hot start to the second half pushed the Royals’ edge to 17 points at 37-20, to make a combined run of 19-5 with the end of the first.�� Even after a small GC run, Eastern Mennonite had the lead back at 50-33 after a (Myerstown, PA/Eastern Lebanon County) bucket with 4:36 to play.

With the big lead, 91����Ƶ slowed down over the final minutes and the Quakers closed on a 14-4 surge, but it was much too late.

Both teams showed a lot of defense in the game, with both offenses shooting just 31% from the floor.�� The Royals made the biggest difference on the boards.�� They grabbed 21 offensive rebounds and had 53-45 advantage over the best rebounding team in the ODAC.

Yoders provided Eastern Mennonite with their inside presence, co-leading the team with 12 points and two steals.�� Rheinheimer gave the outside punch, going 4-for-9 from three point range for 12 counters.

(Conestoga, PA/Penn Manor) had a team high nine rebounds.�� Brown, (Dumfries, VA/Forest Park) and (Pulaski, VA/Pulaski County) each added seven points.

Gabby Oglesby (Winston-Salem, NC/Mount Tabor) had a double double for Guilford, topping all players with 13 points and 11 rebounds.�� Jaclyn Nucci (Gambrills, MD/South River) grabbed 10 rebounds and four steals.

The Royals, 17-5 overall, have now won 10 in a row, which is tied with the 1987-88 team for the second-longest streak in program history.�� In 1984-85, the Royals won 12 straight.�� They head into the final week of the regular season with a big road game at rival Bridgewater Tuesday night.�� The Eagles are tied for third in the ODAC at 10-4.�� 91����Ƶ won the previous meeting this season, 57-48, on Jan. 24 in Harrisonburg.

Eastern Mennonite scored a quick lay-up off the opening tip and jumped ahead 6-0.�� Less than five minutes into the game, the Royals had surged to a 14-3 cushion and R-MC never recovered.�� By halftime, the women had two players scoring in double figures and led 45-27.

The Yellow Jackets shot a little better from the floor in the second half, but 91����Ƶ kept the offense in high gear and rolled to the 93-68 win.

Not only did the Royals shoot 37-62 from the floor to break their program mark at 59.7%, but they also tied their highest scoring output of the season.�� Since scoring a season-low 49 points in a loss to Elizabethtown last Monday, 91����Ƶ’s offense has been unstoppable.�� The women have shot 50% or better in three straight games, all double-digit ODAC victories.

Eastern Mennonite has won six of their last seven games to improve to 10-5 overall and 6-1 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, tied with Guilford for first place.

Junior (Myerstown, PA/Eastern Lebanon County) led the charge with her first double double of the season, charting 18 points on 9-of-12 shooting along with 11 rebounds.�� She added three blocks and three steals for good measure.�� (Manheim, PA/Lancaster Mennonite) broke out of a shooting slump by drilling 5-of-7 three pointers on her way to a season high 17 points.

(Conestoga, PA/Penn Manor) added 12 points, nine rebounds and three assists.�� (Dumfries, VA/Forest Park) was good for 11 points, six boards and three assists, while (Pulaski, VA/Pulaski County) also scored in double figures with 10.

Point guard (Bristow, VA/Brentsville District) had fun setting up her teammates and tied her career high with eight assists.

The Royals held Randolph-Macon to 36% shooting and had a hefty 48-27 control of the boards.

91����Ƶ returns home for two key games, starting this Saturday afternoon with Virginia Wesleyan.�� The Marlins gave the women their lone ODAC loss, a 66-58 decision in Virginia Beach on Dec. 1.�� Then next week Thursday, the Royals host rival Bridgewater College, who is currently 5-1 in the ODAC.

After a tight start to the game, the Royals blew open a big lead.�� The women used a 12-5 run to build up a 27-18 cushion.�� Then after a Hornet bucket, 91����Ƶ turned on the defense, forcing four turnovers and a missed shot.�� In less than two minutes, the Royals scored nine unanswered points to explode the lead to 36-20.

Lynchburg surged over the final minutes of the half to get within 38-31 at the break, but the women gained momentum right back at the start of the second.�� 91����Ƶ got an offensive put-back from (Conestoga, PA/Penn Manor) to open the frame, then back-to-back steals and layups from (Dumfries, VA/Forest Park) and (Bristow, VA/Brentsville District) to push the lead into double figures.

The Royals dominated the second half, and pushed the lead up to 21 points when (Pulaski, VA/Pulaski County) made the score 61-40 with an offensive put-back with 7:59 to go.�� It was coasting from there, as 91����Ƶ’s defense won the day.

The women forced a whopping 27 turnovers and had a 56% to 41% advantage in shooting.

Seven players scored between seven and twelve points in a balanced attack for 91����Ƶ.�� Ygarza had 12 counters, five rebounds and four assists.�� (Dumfries, VA/Forest Park) also scored 12.

Baltimore finished with 11 points and three steals, while Brown added nine tallies and four steals.�� (Myerstown, PA/Eastern Lebanon County) also had four picks.

Now 9-5 overall and 5-1 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, 91����Ƶ stays in a first-place tie with Guilford and Bridgewater.�� The Royals play on the road Tuesday, travelling to Ashland to take on Randolph-Macon.

The under-sized Maroons came out in a zone defense and frustrated 91����Ƶ early on, leading 14-12 at the 10-minute mark.�� But a (Manheim, PA/Lancaster Mennonite) three pointer gave the women the lead and turned the momentum.�� A quick 8-0 run turned into a lead the Royals would never relinquish, as they closed the half on a 25-11 run.

The streak continued in the second half, with a (Bristow, VA/Brentsville District) layup at 8:02 creating the largest lead of the game at 67-39.�� The bench players finished on the floor, as the women coasted to an impressive 24-point ODAC win.

Roanoke limited 91����Ƶ’s inside game with the zone, but the outside players picked up the slack.�� The Royals, who shot 48% from the floor including 7-for-16 from long range, had three players finish in double figures.�� (Dumfries, VA/Forest Park) put in 13 points in the first half and finished with 15 and three steals.�� (Manheim, PA/Lancaster Mennonite) shot 6-of-8 from the floor and added 15 points, five rebounds and three assists.

Steph Rheinheimer was good for 13 points with five boards and a two blocked shots.�� Freshman (Conestoga, PA/Penn Manor) also had three steals, while Baltimore dished out a team high four assists.

Eastern Mennonite had a dominating 48-24 edge in rebounding, including 17 offensive boards.�� (Pulaski, VA/Pulaski County) led the strong team effort with six rebounds.�� She added six points, three assists and two steals.

The Royals have a week off for exams before their next game on Dec. 15, playing at Delaware Valley at 3:00pm.

Coach Kevin Griffin knew he had a talented crew last winter, but with just three upperclassmen on the roster, Griffin didn’t expect the explosion of wins his team earned.

“I was very surprised considering how young we were and what we had lost,” he said.�� “Things just sort of fell into place.”

This year the eighth-year mentor returns his top six players, including all five starters. ��Griffin acknowledges that returning core triggers an extra layer of pressure.

“It means that expectations are high from ourselves and from others,” said Griffin.�� “And it means that we do have experience, which is why those expectations are so high.�� I think everybody expects we’re going to be good and so there’s a pressure.�� Our schedule is a lot tougher this year, but I think that pressure and schedule can be a good motivator.�� At the end of the day it’s basketball and we just need to go play, try to improve and see what happens.”

The Royals return three All-ODAC performers, each of who are entering their junior seasons this year.�� Forward (Conestoga, PA/Penn Manor) exploded to a team-best 14.5 points and 7.3 rebounds, all the while coming off the bench.�� She was named All-ODAC First Team and All-South Region Third Team by D3hoops.com.

Whether or not Ygarza starts this year doesn’t appear to be an issue to either the player or the head coach.

“The only planned change is that Bianca plays more,” Griffin said of his dynamic player who averaged 22.9 minutes last year.�� “It’s hard to define her role.�� She just finds a way to score, and finds the ball and rebounds.�� We need to find more ways to get her the ball and more minutes without wearing her down.”

(Myerstown, PA/Eastern Lebanon County), the ODAC Rookie of the Year two seasons ago, landed on the All-ODAC Second Team as a sophomore, averaging 12.1 points and 6.7 rebounds.�� Small forward (Manheim, PA/Lancaster Mennonite) hit 39% of her three-point shots and earned Third Team honors with 11.3 points per game.

Starting guards (Bristow, VA/Brentsville District) and (Dumfries, VA/Forest Park) return, as does (Dumfries, VA/Forest Park).�� Baltimore transferred to 91����Ƶ last year after one season at Bluefield and ended up among national leaders with a 2.4-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio.�� Brown scored 6.7 a game and became a harassing defender, while Sykes contributed 6.2 points and 4.8 boards in her first season.

(Bassett, VA/Bassett) will be the lone senior on the team this time around and is joined by sophomores (Springfield, VA/West Springfield) and (Pulaski, VA/Pulaski County).�� Osei had 3.7 rebounds a game as a reserve frontliner, while Patterson tantalized fans with flashy offense and defense in just eight games early in the season.�� Sharpshooting (Goshen, IN/Bethany Christian) hurt her knee in the offseason and will spend this year out of uniform as a student assistant.

Griffin said the experience of his returners is evident.

“Hopefully they are smarter and are more confident and more skilled and realize the opportunity that is in front of them,” he said.�� “I do think we’re in better shape and the confidence of some of the kids that played a lot last year is a lot higher, either because they put in a lot of work (in the offseason) or because they played a lot last year.�� So it’s made a difference in how they’ve played at the start of practices.”

Adding to the returning core, Griffin brought in another athletic recruiting class to give his team much-needed depth for their up-tempo style.�� Two of the newcomers are younger sisters of All-ODAC honorees for the Royals.

“I think that (Conestoga, PA/Penn Manor) will help us athletically,” Griffin said, “with her ability to defend and her strength.�� (Glen Allen, VA/Hermitage) will help as an athlete and can really shoot the ball.�� And (Manheim, PA/Lancaster Mennonite) does a lot of things well.�� She can score and has a very high basketball IQ.”

Other new players include: (Fishersville, VA/Wilson Memorial), (Stuarts Draft, VA/Stuarts Draft), (Woodbridge, VA/Garfield) and sophomore Belmont Abbey-transfer (Dale City, VA/Forest Park).

Griffin said that new wave of faces will pay dividends throughout the year.

“I hope we can just play faster,” he said.�� “We should have someone to provide relief at every position so some of those kids aren’t playing as many minutes, which will be really helpful come January and February.”

Despite all the returners and talented newcomers, Griffin still needs to replace one key aspect – leadership, which had been provided by now-graduated Marla Young.

“I don’t think we’re going to (replace Young’s leadership),” said Griffin.�� “It will be by committee.�� What Marla brought you can’t measure in terms of statistics.�� In terms of a person and vocal leader, we’re sorely going to miss her.�� Just her work ethic was an example for everyone.�� I’m hoping some of our returners will step up and be a little more vocal.�� I think they will lead by example in terms of work ethic and recognize the value of what Marla brought and fill that void.”

That leadership void will be tested early, as the Royals start the year with a very tough stretch of six games, including contests against tradition powers Kean and Ferrum, nationally-ranked Mary Washington and potentially Messiah, as well as at ODAC heavy weights Virginia Wesleyan and Guilford.�� The Marlins tied 91����Ƶ with an ODAC-best record of 17-3 last year, while Guilford finished third before winning the ODAC Tournament.

Both Eastern Mennonite and the Quakers received votes in the two “official” preseason national polls from D3hoops.com and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

Griffin said the impressive non-conference slate should benefit his women.

“I’m hoping what takes place there is that we find ourselves,” he said, “and that we are tested but not crushed, so that when we hit the rest of our league schedule we are prepared.�� We have talked a lot about preparation this year, so the point is that 1) we needed games and 2) we needed to be better prepared.”

The Eastern Mennonite women open the year at the Messiah Tip-Off Classic, taking on Kean on Nov. 16, followed by either Messiah or Methodist the following day.�� The Royals host Ferrum on Nov. 24 for their home opener.