By DAVID SCHERER | Guest Writer

With the start of school just around the corner, most of us are gearing up for another exciting year full of homework, parties and friends back at the Peay. One student, however, has a different agenda.

During the past three years, Ashley Herring has been a vital component in the machine known as the Lady Govs basketball team.

She averaged over 13 points a game, five rebounds, almost 200 career assists and over 100 steals.

In addition, she was named OVC Tournament MVP last season. Also, she led the team in points against the Lady Vols in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

But in her mind, it was all for naught.

“I came in my first year and immediately got drawn to the wrong things. I spent nights partying, drinking; falling into sexually immoral relationships and it took my life to a very dark place. I entered a phase of depression, guilt and shame to where I simply existed and had lost complete happiness in school and basketball.”

But it was at this stage she finally found solace in her relationship with God.

“It was at that low point that I asked God to touch me and help me and He did. He gave me a new beginning and joy that I’ve never experienced in life before,” Herring said.

“That’s why I am standing in my decision because I know how faithful He has been in my life and I trust Him.”

This year would be her fourth and final season in a Lady Gov uniform; instead she decided she has a very different calling, the ministry. During the summer, Herring was able to take part in a program geared toward discovering whether the ministry was her true calling, “The most honest reason I could give anyone as to why I left is because God spoke to me to give Him that time.”

When asked about whether or not her teammates and coaches supported her decision, she received mixed opinions.

“Many people who I had to tell about my decision did not understand. Some were supportive and some were not. Many feel like I made the wrong decision or that my gift of basketball was an opportunity to reach others and glorify God,” Herring said.

“But the beauty in my life now is that I can finally live to not lean to my own understanding or the understanding of anyone else.” TAS

By MARLON SCOTT
Senior Staff Writer
Throughout the postseason the Lady Govs have been overcoming one obstacle after another and junior guard Ashley Herring has been the key to their continued success.

First, the team defeated Tennessee Tech, who beat them on the road in the regular season by 19 points. Herring led the Lady Govs with 22 points in that game.

Second, the Lady Govs shut down Morehead State, the team who swept them in the regular season and featured OVC Player of the Year, Chynna Bozeman. Herring scored 21 points in that game after an ankle injury suffered in practice.

Next, they overcame top seeded Eastern Illinois State to remain the Ohio Valley Conference Women’s Basketball Champions and earned a spot in the 29th Annual NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball Championship.

Herring scored 15 points in the championship game, the second most on the team, and earned Tournament MVP honors.

But the Lady Govs finally ran into an obstacle literally too big to overcome at Thomas Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, March 20.

The Lady Govs were defeated 42-75 by the Lady Vols.

It was the seventh time a Lady Govs team made it to the NCAA Tournament, including the last two years in a row. But it was also the seventh time they were eliminated in the first round.

“Obviously we got off to a really slow start. We couldn’t get the ball to fall down,” said Lady Govs head coach Carrie Daniels. “That’s kind of been, throughout this season when the games have started that way. It’s been a rough go for our team.”

“When we get going, get a quick basket we have been pretty good. We get a little more into our step. When you have a couple players step up and score for you and other players have a rough night shooting, it makes for a long night. That is the way it went for us today.”

From the opening tip it was clear the Lady Govs could not contend with the Lady Vols’ size. Lady Vol 6’6” sophomore center Kelley Cain wreaked havoc in the paint and her teammates gave her several opportunities.

“I thought we came ready to play,” said Lady Vols head coach Pat Summitt. “We started out really strong then kind of gave in to fatigue and that is when you have to start coaching a little bit more. Kelley (Cain) has done a great job. Today, she really worked for the ball, and we were able to get the ball inside. You have to give our guards a lot of credit for getting her touches.” Cain led her team with her sixth career double-double, 18 points and 12 rebounds. She was one of three Lady Vols who scored double digit points.

However, it was Herring who led all scorers with 21 points. Like she had been doing all post season, Herring provided a spark for her team.

Her 21 points were the second-most ever scored by a Lady Gov in an NCAA Tournament game. Brooke Armistead scored the most, 30 points, in 2003 against North Carolina.

“Tennessee is a great team. They are great competitors,” Herring said. “At the same time, we went in there with the mind set of this is going to be a competition for us. I don’t think it was intimidating. They outsized us, but at the same time, we were able to get points in the paint. I don’t think it was so much as intimidation as we did not play our game today.”

The first six and a half minutes of the game was all Lady Vols. Cain scored six of their first eight points, part of a Lady Vols 15-0 run.

Herring scored the first points for the Lady Govs at the 13:18 mark. The short putback was the first score in a six point run by Herring.

Battling in the paint, 5’10” sophomore center Jasmine Rayner added two points from the free throw line as the clock hit 10 minutes in the first period. Rayner spent most of the game playing fearlessly against Cain. She was one of only three Lady Govs to score in the first half. In addition, she led the team on the boards with six rebounds.

“All you can ask for is to go out there and play your hardest and give it your all,” Rayner said. “I mean it’s all or nothing; we had nothing to lose so we went out there and played.”
Unfortunately for the Lady Govs, their fearlessness did not translate into points. They finished the game shooting just 30 percent (16-of-53) from the field. Normally potent scorers, senior forward Nicole Jamen and junior guard Brooke Faulkner, were held scoreless. Rayner finished with eight points and sophomore guard Whitney Hanley scored five.

The Lady Vols were never behind in the game and established the biggest lead, 73-35, with less than four minutes left in the game. They scored 23 points off of turnovers and put up 36 points in the paint.

Despite being dominated, the Lady Govs played to the buzzer. Junior guard Salem Richardson scored the last two points for the Lady Govs from the free throw line with less than 30 seconds remaining.

“One thing we were not going to do was quit fighting until that final buzzer. We had to keep attacking and taking it to them, that was the main thing,” Daniels said.

“I was pretty disappointed that at halftime we were down only one rebound and then just got eight in the second half. But the main thing was we had to keep fighting.”

By Marlon Scott | Senior Staff Writer Photos by Lois Jones | Senior Photographer

Lady Volunteers up 8-0. Lady Govs don’t have answer for Vols post game. Vol sophomore center Kelly Cain scored six points.
Down 15-0, Junior guard Ashley Herring scores first Lady Govs points at 13:15 mark. She scored six straight points for Lady Govs only score. At 11:38 a.m. first period, Lady Govs behind 17-6.

Lady Govs struggling offensively. Made just 5-of-19 from field. Herring leads Govs with eight points. Sophomore center Jasmine Rayner scored four. With less than five minutes remaining in first period Lady Govs still battling from behind 31-14.

Halftime Lady Govs  losing 16-37.

The Lady Govs had trouble dealing with the size and reach of the Lady Vols in the first half. Although the Lady Vols have grabbed only one more rebound than the Lady Govs (20-21), high passes and tipped balls have led to 14 Lady Gov turnovers. The Lady Vols have scored 17 points off those turnovers. The Vols have also scored 20 of their points in the paint. Cain leads all scorers with 10 points.

The Lady Govs shot 26 percent (7-of-27)  from the field in the first half. They scored 14 in the paint. Senior forward Nicole Jamen , sophomore Witney Hanley and junior Brooke Faulkner have combined to go 0-for-9 from the field. Herring still leads the team with eight points. Rayner scored six and Dalila Thomas scored two.

With 7:55 remaining the Lady Govs are still trying to catch the Lady Vols, 32-60.

Herring added 10 points in the second half so far. Both she and Cain have 18 total points.

The Lady Govs were unable to overcome the growing Lady Vols lead. Herring scored 21 total points in the loss. For the second year in a row, the Lady Govs were eliminated in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. They loss to the Lady Vols 75-42.

Photos by Lois Jones | Senior Photographer

Video by Marlon Scott | Senior Sports Writer

Video by Marlon Scott | Senior Sports Writer

Photos by Lois Jones | Senior Photographer

By MARLON SCOTT
Senior Staff Writer

From the Lady Govs players, coaches, staff and their fans to the pom-poms and balloons decorating several tables, the Dunn Center lobby was filled with red and white Monday, March 15 for the Lady Govs Pairing Party.

Pizza was served and the cake was cut. People smiled, hugged and high-fived nervously in anticipation of the announcement.

For 28 minutes Trey Wingo, Kara Lawson and Carolyn Peck discussed other teams in other regions.

“I was over there falling asleep, I am not going to lie,” said Lady Gov sophomore center Jasmine Rayner.

Then it was announced on television and the Dunn Center lobby exploded in cheers.

The Lady Govs will play against the number 1 seeded Lady Volunteers coached by the all-time winningest coach Pat Summitt in Knoxville, Tenn., Saturday March 20, at 11:16 p.m.

“It’s just amazing,” Daniels said. “I think the anticipation of just waiting on your name to come up and then it seems like it takes forever; to see it finally come up and to know that it is right here in Tennessee; our fans will get to go, is amazing.”

“To know that I am going to be coaching against such a legend as Pat Summitt is an honor.”

“To go play in an arena that is going to be an unbelievable atmosphere and experience for our young ladies is just something I think we will cherish and remember forever,” Daniels said.

The players were equally excited about playing in Knoxville.

“My family, my little sister, my cousin, all of them go to UT,” Rayner said. “My momma can come so I am happy.”

This was the seventh time the Lady Govs have captured the OVC Tournament championship and the second time in four years for coach Daniels.

Last season it took two overtime periods for the Lady Govs to earn an invitation to the dance. The young team went to East Lansing, Mich. where they were eliminated by Duke in the first round.

The rest of the OVC called the achievement a fluke. Coach Daniels proved it was not.

The Lady Govs are headed to Knoxville as second year seasoned vets.

“This year obviously having that year of experience, hopefully we will draw on that and that will help us a little more,” Daniels said. “I think we know what to expect. I am hoping it won’t be an as awestruck kind of feeling this year and we can settle in and be a little more relaxed going into it.”

The 16th seed APSU Lady Govs will travel to Knoxville, Tennessee to face the number one seed, UT Lady Vols in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in the Memphis bracket. Tip-off for the game will be at 12:16 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on ESPN2 on Saturday March 20th.