07.12.2005

Volgaburmash Hit Back Against MiZo Pecs

Normal service has resumed in the EuroLeague Women.

Defending champions BC Volgaburmash avenged their only defeat of the campaign by pulling away late from previously undefeated MiZo Pecs in Samara on Wednesday.

		Edwige Lawson had 15 points for Samara

Edwige Lawson had 15 points to lead Igor Grudin's team, who prevailed for the sixth time in seven games to take over the leadership of Group A.

Grudin said: "I like the way the girls played today. They fought not for their personal statistics, but for the team result."

Volgaburmash controlled the boards, out-rebounding their visitors 42-27 with Maria Stepanova grabbing 13.

There were certainly a lot of missed shots to go after.

MiZo shot a mere 29.8% (14 of 47) from inside the arc, while Volgaburmash also struggled from the field at 38.5% (20 of 52).

MiZo are not the same team without point guard Vickie Johnson, their 1.78m guard who led the team in scoring at a clip of 12.6 points over the first five contests.

She has been absent for the last two games.

		Dalma Ivanyi

Laszlo Ratgeber's players did battle and led 10-8 after a basket from Hungarian international Dalma Ivanyi with just over three minutes left in the opening quarter.

She would finish with 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

Stepanova drew a foul from Timea Ivkovicné Beres and sank two free throws to tie the game.

That started an 8-0 run for Volgaburmash, who led the rest of the way although they were still in a battle.

A mini-spurt right before half-time appeared to give the initiative to Volgaburmash, who got back-to-back jump shots from Olga Arteshina and Ann Wauters to lead 34-25.

Neither side could find its range after the interval. With almost five minutes of the third quarter played, the Volgaburmash lead was 36-25.

Again consecutive jump shots, this time by Svetlana Abrosimova and Arteshina, gave the home team some momentum at the end of the quarter, and a 46-32 lead.

MiZo would get no closer than 12 points the rest of the way.

MiZo will not be too downhearted as they made the Russian giants fight for everything.

With Gambrinus Brno having also lost last week for the first time, the EuroLeague Women is beginning to have a familiar look to it.

Volgaburmash's biggest challenge may come from fellow Russians UMMC Ekaterinburg, who laid waste to MKB Euroleasing Sopron earlier in the day.

"We couldn't resist Volgaburmash's defence," Ratgeber said. "That's why we lost the struggle."