After scoring 14 first-half points against visiting John Carroll University this past Saturday, Marietta College junior post Aleisha Guiler was just 15 points shy of a career milestone 1,000.
In the second half, the Lady Pioneer standout's only points came on two freebies at the foul line before she had to leave the game due to a leg injury suffered at the 9:53 mark.
Guiler will get another crack at 1,000 when MC (9-7 overall, 4-5 Ohio Athletic Conference) plays at Baldwin-Wallace at 3 p.m. Saturday.
"Hopefully I'll get it then," said Guiler after Marietta defeated JCU 84-69. "But whenever it comes, it comes, I guess."
Justine Pagenhardt was the last Lady Pioneer to reach the career 1,000-point milestone in 2008. She finished with a career 1,454 points.
This season, the 5-foot-10 Guiler, who also scored 1,000-plus career points as a prep player at Monroe Central, is averaging 14.7 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, both team highs. In the first meeting against B-W on Dec. 3, 2011, she tallied 19 points in a 70-64 Lady Pioneer win at Ban Johnson Arena.
"I'm glad we have a full week off," said MC head coach Jill Meiring. "Aleisha should be OK by Saturday."
* When Guiler went down vs. John Carroll at the 9:53 mark of the second half, things were a little chaotic on the court. Also on the floor and not far from Guiler was JCU's Meghan Weber, who had possession of the ball.
In a sitting position, the Lady Streak player took an aggressive leg swipe at Marietta's Sierra Sigman as the latter was walking away.
Sigman must have seen this out of the corner of her eye, because she turned around and walked back as if to confront Weber. Thinking better of it, though, Sigman kept her cool and just smiled.
Give Sigman credit.
Marietta was leading 64-45 at the time, and Sigman had just scored on two straight layups, both off steals - one by her and one by teammate Candice Alexander (who got the assist).
John Carroll apparently was getting a little frustrated, and the next thing you knew, both Guiler and Weber were on the floor.
With play stopped by the refs, Guiler had to be assisted off the court and looked at by the trainer.
"I've had shin splints throughout the season," said Guiler after the game. "And, I just got kneed or kicked in my leg. It's bruised and swollen right now."
Subbing for Guiler was Heather Booth, who before the intermission caught an elbow just above her right eye, which required five stitches. The former Frontier star didn't return to the court until after about nine minutes had elapsed in the second half.
"It didn't hurt," said Booth of the elbow hit and stitches. "But I was really nervous that I might not come back out (in the second half)."
After order was restored, substitutions made, and play resumed, Sigman scored her third straight basket to give MC a 66-45 advantage. Then, Booth hit a shot and all of a sudden the Lady Pioneer lead was 23.
It was at about this point in the game that JCU staged a comeback, and was able to reduce the deficit to 10, 78-68, with 1:17 left in the contest.
"With Aleisha going out of the game, that hurt us a little bit," Meiring said. "But the girls stuck together when John Carroll made their run."
"Tori had such a great game against Capital on Wednesday," Meiring said. "She shot lights out, so I wanted to reward her."
Coming off the bench, Dixon tallied 22 points, including six triples, in MC's 80-79 loss to Cap.
"She gives us so many looks when she's in the game," Meiring said. "She's a great passer and hits the threes."
Against JCU, Dixon scored 13 points and had five assists.
The Lady Pioneers haven't posted 10 wins in a season since doing it during the 2004-05 campaign.
"Things are looking up, and we're excited," Guiler said. "We still got half the season left to prove ourselves."
Ron Johnston is the Marietta Times sports editor and can be reached at 376-5441 or at rjohnston@mariettatimes.com
