Crazy things happen in the world of sports: hole-in-ones, huge upsets, walk-off home runs and buzzer-beating, full-court shots to win a game. What is crazy about Guilford’s women’s basketball team, 11-13 overall and 6-13 in conference play, is that during an up and down season, they still have a chance. They can still win the ODAC.

To come out on top of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, Guilford will have to defeat the top team in the conference, Virginia Wesleyan, in the first round. Guilford’s players are up to the challenge.

“Go ahead and underestimate us,” said sophomore Ann Seufer. “Virginia Wesleyan did and we beat them. We are lot better than our record suggests.”

One might say that the women’s team doesn’t have a prayer. The lady Quakers are senior-less in their 2008 campaign. The team lacks height and is without sophomore Alexa Williams, who is out with an injury. The odds are against them.

So why haven’t the Quakers excluded themselves from winning the ODAC? Not many Quakers could say this, but the women’s team’s response is to fight!

Last week I witnessed junior Jessie Casto, a 5’4″ guard outjump two 5’10” Washington and Lee forwards for a rebound. I saw Kate Dailey’s beet-red face after she dove across the gym floor for a loose ball. I can also recall the Quakers defeating Emory and Henry 86-74 in a must-win game that kept their season alive.

In response to the win over Emory and Henry, head coach Stephanie Flamini said, “When it was on the line, we believed in ourselves. They (the team) wanted to go to the postseason.”

Before Emory and Henry and the Quakers squared off on Tuesday, the Wasps notched a big win over Roanoke College. The Quakers on the other hand were stuck in a nine-game losing streak.

Junior, and team captain, Brittany Bumgarner and Seufer both felt the reasons behind the team’s struggles are also three components the team needs to work on: playing better defense, playing as a team and rebounding.

“Our inexperience doesn’t help either,” said Bumgarner.

Young players are forced to play greater roles. Since Williams is out, first-year shooting guard Lauren LeFevers had to play at the post in last Saturday’s 70-56 loss to Roanoke.

Players on the team are used to playing different roles.

“We have vocal leaders and silent leaders; everyone leads,” Bumgarner said. “Different people step up every game.”

LeFevers, one of the youngest players on the team, led the Quakers to victory on Tuesday with 31 points. LeFevers made three-pointers look like free throws and she rebounded as if she was 6’4″.

“We moved her (LeFevers) around so much, which opened up her game,” said Flamini. “When I recruited her, what I liked about her is she’s a tough kid, hard-nosed and unafraid.”

Come conference playoffs, the whole team is going to need to step up against Virginia Wesleyan.

So do the Quakers actually have a chance to win conference? Crazier things have happened in sports.