43
Injuries continue to haunt YSU women
youngstown
If this were a video game, Youngstown State women’s basketball coach John Barnes probably would have taken the game out and started all over again.
YSU just learned that forward Kelsea Newman, who was injured in the team’s opening game against American, suffered a torn ACL to her knee and will be out for the season.
Newman joins guard Nikki Arbanas who tore her ACL in the first practice of the season and is also out for the season.
In addition to those two, All-Horizon League returner Sarah Cash is still battling right-knee soreness and is seeing limited minutes, Kelley Wright is battling a sprained right ankle and Natalie Myers has a calf strain. Barnes said younger players were going to need to step up after Arbanas went down and that call to the bullpen has been put into overdrive during the Penguins’ first four games. Twelve remaining players on the roster have all averaged at least six minutes per game as the team tries to figure out their new rotations and assignments on the fly.
“Thank goodness we upped our roster in terms of numbers,” Barnes said. “It’s very difficult knowing when players are coming in and rotations and stuff. Players are playing different times than what they’re used to and some players who weren’t playing much during preseason are now being thrust into the starting lineup or getting big-minute periods.”
This all comes at a time when YSU has had to prepare for Tiffin, which visits the Penguins (1-3) tonight. Three Dragons — Bre Nauman, Allie Miller and Ali Schirmer — average double figures and Tiffin (1-2) is shooting 37 percent from beyond the arc.
“We expect to get their best game,” Barnes said. “They’re a very good 3-point shooting team and they have two good seniors who will lead them.”
YSU is coming off its first win of the season, beating Sacramento State 102-94 in Hawaii, after an 0-3 start. Barnes admitted there were some times with all the injuries he wondered if the team was going to be able to overcome their more than fair share of adversity.
“There were some times where I was thinking to myself ‘How are we going to get a win? How are we going to keep going after Kelsea?’ ” he said. “But the team’s attitude and my assistants have been positive. Everyone believes and that’s the bottom line. That gives you a chance.”
With the injuries not only piling up, but piling up with players Barnes expected to play significant minutes, things have had to go back to basics at practice. Barnes said he’s never had a season like this with so many injuries to so many key players.
“Definitely not,” Barnes said. “This is absolutely crazy. Nikki is a starting captain. Kelsea is a starting captain. Sarah Cash is our only all-conference returner. Having one or two injuries like this throughout the years has helped me realize we maybe need to take things at a more basic level.”
But those that have been forced to step up into larger roles have been showing promise according to Barnes, so it’s not all doom and gloom.
“Mailee Jones made the all-tournament team [in Hawaii] because she had a very good game against Hawaii and Mary Dunn had a great weekend too in points and rebounds and was named Horizon League Freshman of the Week,” he said.