VCU women beat Tech with balance

Apparently there will be life after Quanitra Hollingsworth for the VCU women's basketball program.

The Rams, relying on balance rather than a skyscraper beneath the basket, received double-digit contributions from five players while thumping Virginia Tech, a visitor from the ACC, 72-58 in last night's season opener at the Siegel Center.

"A great win, a huge win for our kids and our team and our program," said VCU coach Beth Cunningham, whose club extended its home-court winning streak to 19 games. "We had so many kids step up at so many different times and make plays -- not just big plays, but game-changing plays."

Few stepped up more impressively than Stephanie Solomon, a senior post player who delivered a double-double -- 11 points and 10 rebounds -- on her 23rd birthday. Solomon splashed high-octane fuel into VCU's tank when she scored three times with offensive rebounds before the second half was three minutes old. That surge helped the Rams expand a six-point halftime lead into a 42-26 advantage at 16:20.

Said Solomon, who averaged 0.7 points and 1.1 rebounds last year while toiling in her teammate's 6-5 shadow: "[Hollingsworth] is gone now, but we're still here and we want to make sure this program continues to excel. [The post] position is mine now, and it's my job to do whatever it takes -- give 100 percent, give 200 percent, give whatever -- to make sure we keep moving forward."

So eager was Solomon to get to work that Cunningham found her in the Siegel Center weight room, lifting dumbbells, shortly after lunch yesterday.

"I basically had to throw her out," Cunningham said.

Reserve forward Courtney Hurt led the Rams with 16 points. Point guard Jennifer Lane matched Solomon with 11. Guard Ebony Patterson, a junior from L.C. Bird, and senior wing player La'Tavia Rorie added 10 points apiece.

The game's biggest baskets may have belonged to Rorie. The Hokies (1-1) mounted a strong surge at the midpoint of the second half. They crept to nine behind at 11:54 and six behind at 8:47. On each occasion, Rorie hit the bull's-eye with a 3-pointer from the right side.

"There was no hesitation, just execution," Rorie said. "We did what we were supposed to do. We ran our plays, and those were the looks we got."

VCU, which figured to be overmatched inside against the taller, deeper Hokies, collected 17 offensive rebounds to Tech's 15. The mood soon spread to VCU's defense. There, the Rams, pestered the Hokies into 24 turnovers.

"That disappointed me," Tech coach Beth Dunkenberger said. "[VCU is] physical and aggressive. That's their style. Instead of fighting back and doing something about it, we complained a lot" to the officials. "That's not something I want to see again."

Forward Utahya Drye and wing guard Alyssa Fenyn led Tech with 14 and 13 points, respectively. Former Manchester High School standout Lindsay Biggs struggled. Biggs, a Tech senior, scored six points on 3-of-10 shooting.

VIRGINIA TECH

Davis 2, Fenyn 13, Drye 14, Biggs 6, Gordon 8, Redick 2, Wilson 0, Hadley 3, Logan 0, Grey 2, Ayers 2, Harrison 6. Totals 23 12-19 58.
VCU

Lane 11, Patterson 10, Rorie 10, Solomon 11, Moss 7, Hobson 0, Taylor 7, Hurt 16. Totals: 26 14-22 72.

3-point goals: Virginia Tech -- none; VCU -- Rorie 2, Lane, Moss, Taylor, Hurt.

Halftime: VCU 30-24

A: 1,756