The majestic Quaker cheerleaders began to dance in rhythm, game announcers to check their mics, and hearts to pound. Thus did the women’s basketball team kick off the third annual Guilford College Quaker Classic, thus beginning their highly anticipated season. The Quakers emerged 1-1 on the tip-off tournament, notching their first win of the year.

But before their epic first win, there was a loss. On Nov. 11, a late push by the contending SUNY Purchase Panthers caused the Quakers’ first victory to slip away in the final moments. The Purchase squad put up seven points in seven seconds to finish Friday’s clash.

Undeterred, the lady-Quakers bounced back admirably in their Saturday match-up with Meredith College. The Ragan-Brown Field House was rocking as Quaker fans cheered their team to an impressive 73-50 win over Meredith’s Avenging Angels.

Eleven different Quakers contributed points in the win. In leading the Quakers, Coach Stephanie Flamini attended to her bench personnel, often rotating four or five players at a time. Five Quakers reached double-digit scoring including the game’s points leader, junior Ann Seufer. With her 14 points, Seufer drained four three-pointers in the match. Jasmine Wood added a double-double with a strong 11 points and 10 rebounds. Tracey Croner, Alexa Williams, and Lauren LeFevers rounded out the 10-point-game bunch.

“(After the Purchase match) they got mad and they decided they weren’t going to lose again. It was a good response,” said Flamini following the win over Meredith Saturday. “They came out with their heads up and played really hard, which was just what we were looking for.”

Scoring 31 points in the Quakers two contests, Ann Seufer stood out in the tournament earning a place on the Quaker Classic All-star team.

“I was just happy we played well as a team,” said Seufer, crediting her all-star status to the entire team’s play. “It is always better when the team plays well than just me personally.”

The tournament was good practice for the Quakers, as they learned some valuable lessons in both victory and defeat. Every team has ups and downs. What matters most is how a team bounces back from a loss.

On Nov. 25, the Quakers dropped an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) match to third-ranked Roanoke College 69-60. Once again, the Quakers bounced back from defeat and overcame ODAC’s sixth ranked Emory and Henry on Dec. 1, 72-64 in overtime. The Guilford women entered the 2008-09 season ranked seventh out of 11 teams in the ODAC preseason coaches poll. Already, the Quakers are climbing ODAC’s standings.

As the Quakers improve their conference ranking, the team’s many upperclass women look to give the Quakers an advantage this year.

“It’s going to be important that our upper-class help us to keep going in the next week and a half. We have great leadership on our team; now it will need to be there all the time,” said Flamini.

Returning all five starters and 11 letter-winners from 2007-08, Guilford’s women’s basketball has experience on their side. Junior Jasmine Wood knows she will have to play an integral part in this year’s season as she helps lead the team to victory.

“Before games I try and pump people up,” said Wood. “In games, I always try to give my teammates encouragement. We are a strong group with good team chemistry this year and we are very determined to get the job done.”

The Quakers’ next home game is on Jan 9. They will confront conference rival Bridgewater College, ranked fifth in the conference’s preseason poll.

In between now and the Bridgewater match, the Quakers will venture to the world of Disney. In the Magic Kingdom, the lady-Quakers will prove that Warner College and Webber International’s chances of winning are only make-believe.