Women Cagers Foul Out at Penn

You can't win with your stars on the bench.

The Harvard women's basketball team (8-14 overall, 2-6 Ivies) learned this lesson the hard way last night, dropping a tightly contested 80-72 decision to the University of Pennslyvania at the Palestra.

All five Crimson starters--Barb Keffer, Sharon Hayes, Wendy Joseph, Trisha Brown, and Anna Collins--hit for double figures (a first for the Cantabs), but the latter three also fouled out.

'Special Effort' Failed

As a result, Harvard watched a seven point halftime lead slip away, while being whistled for 29 fouls, 14 more than its opponents.

The defeat moved the Crimson's road record this year to 0-11, and extended its two-year road losing streak to 19 games.

Harvard came out strong and ran to a quick, 19-6, advantage. Penn stiffened at this point, but the visitors were still able to take a 40-33 lead into halftime.

The second half, however, was marred by questionable officiating, most of it benefiting the Quakers.

The hosts' ability to convert 78.9 percent of their charity stripe attempts overcame their dismal 37.3 percent field goal shooting, and eventually allowed Penn to pass the Crimson for good with five minutes remaining in the contest.

Harvard shot an impressive 50.7 percent from the floor in the match. Its 72 points represented the cagers highest scoring total in a losing effort this year.

Penn's June Stambaugh accomplished the game's best personal turn-around.

Held scoreless in the teams' first meeting this year, the junior guard exploded for 28 points (notably on 10-10 free throw shooting) to lead her team to victory.

Keffer, with 15 points, led the Crimson in scoring. It was the fifth time in the last six games that the freshman point guard has led her came in point production.

Hayes was the second highest scorer with 13.

The cagers' next quest for a road victory will come tonight when they play Princeton at Jawdin Gym in Princeton, N.J. Harvard will have another streak working against it here, since it has dropped its last six Tiger showdowns.