The Thomas College women’s basketball team, which starts over with a new coach, was picked to finish eighth in the 10-team North Atlantic Conference coaches poll. Ted Rioux takes over as the Terriers head coach after winning three state titles in five seasons at Waterville Senior High School.

“In all honesty, I’ve got a good feel of my team — I just don’t know what we’re going up against,” Rioux said.

When Rioux got the Thomas job, he said he didn’t want players on the floor in the neighborhood of 40 minutes per game. Although he came on board too late to have an impact on this year’s recruiting class, Rioux thinks he has the depth to be able to hold to that this season.

“I do think that we have 10 girls that we can run out there and sub pretty freely,” Rioux said.
One exception will be Karin Bird, who led the conference in scoring last year with 20.3 points per game.

“Karin is that type of player who never loses her wind,” Rioux said. “Karin is just absolutely phenomenal. We’re going to have to ride her shoulders.”

Bird and Ashley Matchett of Skowhegan are the only two starters returning from last winter. Rioux said the starting lineup could be fluid this season.

“We’re playing with that right now,” he said. “I really think that’s going to come down to matchups. We do have some versatility to go big or small.”

Two key areas where the Terriers need improvement are rebounding and the point guard position. Thomas was outrebounded 49-33 in an average game last year.

“We’ve got to protect the middle,” Rioux said. “Rebounding is going to be very key to this team’s success.”

On the point guard issue, Thomas didn’t have a player last year who had more assists than turnovers. So there are some areas to work on, but Rioux thinks the early indications from his players are a good sign.

“I could not have been blessed with a better group of girls,” he said. “They have just absolutely accepted the work ethic that I’m looking for from them.”

• • •

The Middlebury women’s soccer team has won two consecutive games in the NCAA Division III tournament and is now in the “Sweet 16.” Middlebury will play host William Smith College at 11 a.m., Saturday in Geneva, N.Y. The winner will play at 1 p.m. Sunday, against the winner of Saturday’s Williams-Emory game.

Middlebury has two local players on its roster. Freshman midfielder Ali Omsberg, a Messalonskee graduate, has played in 13 games, and her one goal was the game-winner in a 1-0 victory over Bates on Oct. 22. Junior back Anna Thurston of Waterville has played in seven games this season.

After going six straight games without a shutout, the Panthers have not allowed a goal in their past eight games. They carry a 13-3-2 record into Saturday’s game.

Matt DiFilippo — 861-9243
mdifilippo@centralmaine.com

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