The Principia College women’s basketball team concluded its season with 15 wins overall, the women’s third-best season in program history since joining the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (SLIAC).
The team finished the season as the number four seed going into the SLIAC playoffs and hosted their first playoff game in almost three decades. The Panthers secured a win over the number five seed, The Spalding Golden Eagles, giving the women their first playoff win in 17 years. Their season finished with a close 56-63 semifinal loss against Westminster College Blue Jays on Feb. 23.
The Panthers carried a 17-player roster this season, comparably higher than the eight girls they had last year.
Taylor Brown said that the program has developed since last season, making it easier for new players to be integrated into the team.
According to Brown, sophomore Trinniti Matthews is one of the newcomers who has brought the most to the team, mentioning her hustle play and ability to rebound.
Matthews, a sophomore, transferred to Principia in the fall from Webster University, another team in the SLIAC conference. The Panthers carried a 17-player roster this season, comparably higher than the eight girls they had last year.
Brown and Ari Williams have earned all-conference honors for the past two years, Brown earned second-team all-conference and Williams earned all-defensive team. Matthews received an all-tournament team nomination for her performance in the playoffs and senior captain Alana Hinson earned an all-sportsmanship award as well.
These four players combined to average 45.4 of the team’s 64.4 points per game (PPG) on the season. Brown led the way with 13.4 PPG.
Brown stressed the importance of communication for the team on the court. Brown said, “Communication and energy, and being able to make plays for each other” led to their success.
Coach Ramiro Dominguez, or as he’s better known, Coach Ro, was last year’s SLIAC coach of the year and was largely responsible for the team’s drastic size increase, said Williams.
Williams said that the team played by Coach Ro’s philosophy of “me versus me” or “me versus the mirror.” “It’s not looking at other people and comparing yourself to them, but [it is] to be the best you,” Williams said. It’s about “doing what you can do to get better, and not looking at other people,” she said.
