Marquette Women's Basketball Falls to Pool Comense in Italy

Carolyn Kieger

Marquette lost its first game of its four-game tour of Italy, dropping a 77-74 contest to Pool Comense in Como, Italy. Pool Comense is the defending Italian A1 league champion and has four Italian national team players on its roster.

The game was close throughout the entire contest. Marquette trailed by four at the first quarter and by three at the half. The Golden Eagles started off the second half on a 7-0 run to take its largest lead of the game, but the contest remained tight. After a low-scoring third quarter, the teams managed six ties in the final quarter with the last coming in the game's final minute.

Katie O'Grady had given Marquette a two point lead with just over a minute to go. She had the chance to extend the lead to three on a three-point play, but she missed the free throw. Pool Comense forced a tie and took the lead with 38 seconds on a basket by Maria Salvestrini. Marquette's Carolyn Kieger scored on a layup to knot the game at 74, but Francesca Zara, the game's leading scorer with 19, scored the go-ahead bucket.

Three Marquette starters were in double figures. Carolyn Kieger led MU with 17 points, grabbing eight rebounds. Katie Alsdurf ended with 14 points. Sarah Shouse added 12. MU grabbed 52 rebounds, but the Golden Eagles turned the ball over 30 times.

Rafaella Masciardi and Laura Macchi scored 13 points to lead the Comense starters. Elena Paparazzo added 11 points while Zara's 19 came off the bench.

Marquette plays its final exhibition game of the trip tomorrow night in Milan.

POOL COMENSE 77, MARQUETTE 74

MARQUETTE: Carolyn Kieger 6-11, 5-7, 17 PTS; Katie Alsdurf 6-12, 1-2, 14 PTS; Kelly Schwerman 2-10, 2-2; 8 PTS; Crystal Weaver 4-9, 0-0, 8 PTS; Sarah Shouse 4-7, 4-5, 12 PTS; Rashida Gales 0-1, 0-0, 0 PTS; Katie O'Grady 4-6, 0-3, 8 PTS; Tierra Shirley, 0-0, 0-0, 0 PTS; Rachel Klug 1-5, 0-0, 2 PTS; Lesely Juedes 0-2, 2-2, 2 PTS; Monica Frede 1-5, 0-0, 2 PTS.

POOL COMENSE: Elena Paparazzo 5-14, 1-3, 11 PTS; Mariangela Cirone 1-5, 4-4, 6 PTS; Rafaella Masciardi 5-15, 3-9, 13 PTS; Laura Macchi 5-12, 3-4, 13 PTS; Maria Salvestrini 3-8, 5-8, 11 PTS; Claudia Bussola 1-3, 2-2, 4 PTS; Francesca Zara, 1-3, 2-2, 11 PTS; Morena Capiaghi, 0-1, 0-0, 0 PTS; Allyson Caggio 0-1, 0-0, 0 PTS; Paula Zameroni, 0-0, 0-0, 0 PTS.

PERCENTAGES: FG: Marquette 28-68, 41.7 percent; Pool Comense: 28-69, 40.6; FREE THROW: Marquette 14-21, 66.7; Pool Comense: 20-33, 60.6; THREE POINT: Marquette: 4-16, 25.0 (Schwerman 2-8, Alsdurf 1-2, Frede 1-2, Kieger 0-2, Gales 0-1, Juedes 0-1), Pool Comense: 1-17, 5.9 (Zara 1-3, Masciadri 0-5, Macchi 0-3, Cirone 0-3, Bussola 0-2, Caggio 0-1).

REBOUNDS: Marquette 52 (Weaver 9), Pool Comense (Masciadri 8). FOULS: Marquette 24, Pool Comense 24; ASSISTS: Marquette 15 (Kieger 5), Pool Comense 15 (Cirone 7); TURNOVERS: Marquette 30 (Kieger, Weaver 6), Pool Comense 18 (Masciadri 5); BLOCKS: Marquette 3 (Shouse 2), Pool Comense 5 (Masciadri 5); STEALS: Marquette 7 (Weaver 3), Pool Comesne 13 (Macchi 4). FOULED OUT: Marquette -- none, Pool Comense -- Cirone. ATTENDANCE: 87.