The Guilford Women’s basketball team worked hard over the winter break and dealt with wins and losses. “While a lot of other students and even other teams in the ODAC (Old Dominion Athletic Conference) were still at home over Christmas break, we came back and practiced hard,” said senior guard Ann Seufer.

“We’ve been focused since the beginning of the season on where we want to be at the end of February, and we took being back early as a challenge to focus and get the second half of the season started off right.”

Guilford fell short against Methodist but rebounded with a win over Hollins, only to lose to Bridgewater, and then rebound yet again with a win against previously unbeaten Eastern Mennonite.

In the 49-48 loss to Methodist on Jan. 3, Guilford shot 18 3-pointers but only made three – two of which came from junior Lauren LeFevers, who led all Quakers with eight points.

A quick two days later, Guilford rallied for 71 points at home in a 71-53 win over ODAC foe Hollins. The defense, anchored by senior Jasmine Wood, pressured their opponent into 26 turnovers.

Senior Alexa Williams led the offensive charge with 20 points – the highest player point-total in a game this season. The momentum from the Hollins win was soon stalled, as the Quakers scored just 43 points on 29 percent shooting in a loss to another ODAC team, Bridgewater on Jan. 8.

With something to prove, Guilford bounced back from defeat with a 60-53 win at Eastern Mennonite University – the home of the previously unbeaten Royals.

The Quakers had a balanced attack with four players scoring in double figures. Wood, whose two early-second-half 3-pointers ignited a second-half comeback, led all Quakers with 15 points.

“The EMU win was huge for us. It shows our focus and determination, and proves that we have the ability to beat some of the best teams out there,” agreed Seufer.

“We still need to improve on executing our offense and making our free throws consistently,” said Gibbs.

In their first game coming off the win against the Royals, the Quakers accomplished one of their goals, shooting a crisp 46 percent from the floor, but only 56 percent from the free-throw line, against Randolph at home.

Guilford ran roughshod over the Randolph squad, winning 76-43 with Gibbs dropping 15 points.

“I thought we played with good teamwork and we hit shots,” said Flamini.

The tide turned against Randolph-Macon on Jan. 15, however, as reigning ODAC player of the year, Molly Ariail pounded Guilford inside to the tune of 24 points in a 87-59 loss.

The Quakers hung close in the early going with help to their rebounding, but the Yellow Jackets found holes in the Quakers match-up zone and pulled away by the end of the first half. The Yellow Jackets also stung the Quakers from behind the arc, shooting 10 for 15 from 3-point range.

Once again, the girls struggled with accuracy, only shooting 31 percent from the field.

The next day the girls dropped another ODAC game in heartbreaking fashion to Virginia Wesleyan, 58-52. The Quakers, behind their defense, and Gibbs’ 17 points fought back from a double-digit first half deficit and made for a nail-biting conclusion.

In the week ahead, the Quakers will battle in tough conference games against Randolph-Macon, Eastern Mennonite, and Virginia Wesleyan. `

However, the Quakers remain confident.

“We can beat anyone,” said Gibbs. “We can beat anyone in the ODAC.