With six sophomores returning and the new arrival of Ventura County’s top recruit freshman Riley Abraham, this upcoming season of Moorpark College women’s basketball could be one of the most exciting and promising we’ve seen in a long time.
“This year I think that we’re really dynamic because …we have a lot of different girls within in our team who can score and who can play defense,” said head coach Lindsay Goldblatt.
Goldblatt has been coaching the lady Raiders for six seasons and head coach for five, so she has seen the team progress over the years. Last season the Raiders finished 2nd in their conference, but went out in the first round of the playoffs after a 3 point loss to San Bernadino Valley College.
Always looking to do a little bit better than the year before, Goldblatt and her team are reorganizing to deal with some hard-felt departures and exciting new prospects.
“We lost three really athletic guards… (including) our three-point scoring threat Ashley Sampson,…but I think we gained a little bit more skill overall this year. ” said Goldblatt
One of those players who will be bringing some skill and height to their starting line up is 6″1 freshman Riley Abraham. A dominant post player, Abraham averaged 13.4 points and 16.6 rebounds a game for the Rio Mesa Spartans last season and was Ventura County’s co-player of the year.
One might question a squad’s stability with the addition of seven new freshmen, but Goldblatt is confident in the solidity of their abilities to play both offensively and defensively. Starting guard Torrey Hill, from Washington who is a new player that is helping to replace some of that athleticism the team lost in their three transfers.
Another big positive is the experience of six returning sophomores who will no doubt set an example and help to mold the incoming freshman according to Goldblatt. Katie Lenik is one to watch out at the post. Returning to captain the team are guards Camilla Chung and Kathleen Avery. Chung and Avery both scored 12 points in their recent victory against City College of San Francisco. Goldblatt expects there leadership to push the team on and off the court.
Whatever combination of Goldblatt is putting out on the court is working. It was a dominating opener to the Raiders’ season on Nov 13, as they reigned in a 72-22 victory over Santa Monica City College. Three days later, they competed in a tournament at Sierra College in Sacramento. They placed second with two wins and one defeat.
. The Raiders are gearing up to host a tournament here at Moorpark Dec. 7th through the 9th. It is free with a student ID and only five dollars without one. The Raiders encourage everyone to come on down and enjoy the fast-paced style of play It is early in their 28-game season, but it is looking good for the Raiders so far.
“We’ve got some good talent so we’re really excited to see them put it all together, and when they all play well at the same time we’re going to be pretty good,” said Goldblatt
