By AJ Martelli

The Mercy women’s basketball team is looking to finish their 2009-10 campaign on a high note. First year head coach Kelli Dunlay enjoyed her inaugural season as the lady Mavericks head coach and expressed delight in her first season at the team’s helm.

“I enjoyed the experience coaching this year, but it was tough,” she said.

“This year has been a great learning adventure and I have a good idea of what the team’s needs are.”

The squad is currently sitting in eighth place in the East Coast Conference standings with an overall record of 4-21. Among the victories, the lady Mavs knocked off Queens on Dec. 12, Concordia on Dec. 19, and NYIT on Jan. 11. Yet for Dunlay, the most satisfying win for the team came on Dec. 2 against Dowling, a game the ladies won 73-67.

“The win at Dowling was great because that was our first win this year. The girls all played well collectively and they were feeling very good during that game. We were up by one at halftime and we were pumped up!”

Along with the victories the lady Mavs enjoyed this season, Dunlay is pleased with how the veteran players are leading the team rookies.

“Ashley Borofsky is a good leader on and off the court,” she stated.

“She is a good competitor, she is very consistent, she loves the game and she wants to win. A lot of the younger players look up to her.”

Borofsky has played in 23 games this year and has netted a total of 300 points on the season. She has averaged 13 points per game and has a current field goal percentage of .391.

Junior Delmara Reece is also putting up staggering numbers this year, leading the team in rebounds with 238 and 99 free throw attempts. For her outstanding play and her average of 12.1 rebounds per game, Reece was named one of the nation’s best rebounding players by the NCAA.

Looking to end the year on a great note and prepare for the next season, Dunlay expects to win the team’s final game on Feb. 27 at home against NYIT.
“We’d like to conclude the season with a victory. NYIT is a ECC rival, so it would be a nice way to wrap up this campaign. We will have about two weeks off after the season ends and then we will begin our off season workouts.”

Dunlay expects the lady Mavs to arrive in good shape for the off season workouts, which entail open gym practices, conditioning, and fundamental drills.

“The girls just need to polish up on the little things and go back to basics,” she said.

I have gotten to know each of these players very well this year, and I expect them to come back next season and want to win because winning is our one vision.”