Last March Fordham University claimed the Atlantic 10 Conference title with a 62-47 win against Virginia Commonwealth University in the championship game.
That result meant joy for the Fordham’s New Zealand contingent of Kendell Heremaia, Zara Jillings and Mary Goulding. In contrast it was disappointment for VCU’s Akiene-Tera Reed.
On Thursday (NZT) the two teams met again for the first, and perhaps only, time this season with three of the protagonists back in action. Goulding has moved on to begin her professional career (currently playing for IK Eos in Sweden) but the remaining trio are still around to reignite their rivalry. In fact all are juniors so will have another season of locking horns beyond this campaign.
On this occasion it was Reed who could afford the smile as her 19 points (5/10FG, 9/10FT), 7 rebounds and 5 assists helped propel VCU to a 62-52 home win.
Like Reed, Heremaia is having an outstanding season. The Fordham co-captain, in a typically tenacious performance, came up with 11 points, 3 rebounds and a career high 6 steals – she leads the league in rebounds averaging 8.4 boards per game. Other than the starters Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Jillings played the most minutes (19) corralling 4 rebounds for Fordham.
Reed, a Tall Fern in 2018, is once again leading the VCU scoring averaging 15 points per game and has scored in double figures in 15 of the 18 games she has played this season she sits sixth on the A-10 scoring list.
VCU now sit atop the A-10 Conference table with a 7-0 record whilst Fordham sip back into mid table with 4 wins and 3 losses.
The game was the only scheduled meeting between the two teams this season although they could meet again in post regular season play once the play-offs begin in early March.
LACEY LOWDOWN 