Jamie Augustyn knows that less of Carolyn Dorsey means more will be needed from the rest of the Emporia State Lady Hornets.
“She’s a great defender, and it’s a big loss,” Augustyn said. “As a team, we’re going to have to step up and fill her spot somehow.”
Both Augustyn and fellow reserve Denisa Svarova did a good job of filling that spot Saturday, combining for 15 points in ESU’s 75-56 victory over Pittsburg State.
Dorsey — who injured her knee in the Washburn game on Wednesday — sat in street clothes with crutches on the bench after being diagnosed with a torn PCL. The senior’s future playing status is still up in the air.
“She’s going to see a few different doctors (this) week,” ESU coach Brandon Schneider said. “If, after visiting with the doctors, her and her parents feel like she can brace it and play without too much damage, then I think she’s going to try and do that. Obviously, there’s term things to consider.”
The short-term solution for the starter’s absence was the increased minutes for Augustyn and Svarova.
After playing just 12 minutes in her previous three games combined, Augustyn held her own with a 14-minute outing, giving ESU 7 points and four rebounds. She also made two of her five three-point attempts.
“I just shot when I was open,” Augustyn said. “That’s my job — shoot it, concentrate and focus.”
Svarova also had a solid game, scoring 8 points to go along with five rebounds in a 23-minute showing. She was 3-for-4 from the field and a perfect 2 of 2 from the free-thrown line.
“Eight’s not setting any records,” Schneider said, “but it’s a heckuva lot more than what she’s been getting.”
ESU set the tempo early, revealing a half-court trap defense that forced three PSU turnovers in the first five minutes.
The Lady Hornets continued that strong defense even after switching back to man-to-man, allowing just five field goals in the first 20 minutes.
PSU didn’t score in the last six minutes before intermission and had only two field goals in the final 16:30 of the half.
The Lady Gorillas made just 5 of their 28 shots (17.9 percent) in the opening stanza.
“We played pretty good defense,” ESU junior Michelle Stueve said. “We just had some foul trouble.”
PSU did manage to stay in it with a flurry of free throws. The Lady Gorillas shot 15 freebies — and made 11 of them — in the final eight minutes of the half.
A pair of Stueve jumpers, followed by a Cassondra Boston drive and bucket, completed a mini 6-0 run for ESU at the end of the period that gave the Lady Hornets a 34-22 halftime lead.
Svarova helped extend that advantage in the second half. Following a pair of free throws, the 6-foot-5 center banked in a two then laid one in off a lob play to contribute her own 6-0 run inside of a 10-0 ESU spurt that made it 52-30.
The game wasn’t close after that. ESU led by as many as 25 points in the second half of the rout.
“We were happy to get the win,” Stueve said. “That was our main goal. We were pleased with it.”
The All-American Stueve had an impressive game in her own right, scoring 23 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. She made 10 of her 19 shots and three of her 10 three-point attempts.
The junior is still trying to shake some of the mental aspects of a shooting slump that affected her a month ago in the Northern Kentucky Classic.
“I’m more comfortable,” Stueve said. “I’m just trying to play and not worry about all the little things and what I’m messing up on. Just being able to play and be aggressive is what’s helping me.”
Casey Henningsen was the only other Lady Hornet in double figures with 10.
Despite the victory, Schneider said he was looking for better play out of his experienced team. The coach believed his players were slow to adjust to the first-half officiating and also bailed out a number of Lady Gorillas by fouling them as they were driving towards the basket.
“Our experience needs to breed maturity,” Schneider said. “We need to handle some situations better than what we do.”