Petrakova leads LAdy Cajuns vs. host WKU

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BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Newly-minted Player of the Year Anna Petrakova faces her toughest test today.

The Louisiana junior made history this season as the Ragin’ Cajuns’ first-ever All-Sun Belt Conference performer, and took that distinction one step further by being named the league’s best performer for 2003-2004.

Petrakova led the Sun Belt in scoring by two points per game over Arkansas-Little Rock’s Alicia Cash, 18.7 to 16.7.

She paced all rebounders with 9.6 caroms per game, finishing ahead of UL teammate and Newcomer of the Year Tiffany Washington (9.0).

And Petrakova was also the leader in blocked shots at 2.37, holding off Florida International’s Milena Tomova (2.22).

Behind her, coach J. Kelley Hall’s Cajuns finished in a surprising tie for second place in the Western Division (13-14 overall, 7-8 in league play).

So, what does Petrakova receive as her reward?

She gets to face the defending champion Western Kentucky Lady Toppers in today’s 1:30 p.m. Sun Belt Tournament quarterfinals at WKU’s E.A. Diddle Arena.

“I’m just overwhelmed right now,” said Petrakova, who received her all-conference honors here on Saturday. “We won a lot of championships in Russia, but this is my first big individual award. I’m really happy.

“I feel like all the hard work has paid off. But, I couldn’t have done it without my teammates. I share this with them.”

The rest of the story

Bruce Brown
bbrown@theadvertiser.com

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UL Lafayette women vs. Western Kentucky
Sun Belt Conference Quarterfinals

Time: 1:30 p.m. today

Site: E.A. Diddle Arena (7,326)

Records: UL 13-14, 7-8; W. Kentucky 16-12, 10-4

Probable Starters

UL — No. 13 Anna Petrakova (18.7 ppg., 9.6 reb., 55 assists, 64 blocked shots, 26 steals), No. 22 Tiffany Washington (10.0 ppg., 9.0 reb.), No., 32 Bernette Tolston (7.9 ppg., 55-of-172 3-pt. FG), No. 5 Sharee Glenn (9.1 ppg., 70 assists, 24 steals), No. 3 Ashley Blanche (4.7 ppg., 73 assists)

WKU — No. 5 Carla Bartee (10.5 ppg., 8.8 reb.), No. 10 Leslie Logsdon (14.8 ppg., 4.3 reb.), No. 15 Elisha Ford (7.1 ppg., 2.6 reb.), No. 34 Tiffany Porter-Talbert (16.4 ppg., 8.3 reb.), No. 4 Camryn Whitaker (5.7 ppg., 102 assists).

Series History

WKU leads 26-1 ... UL won the last meeting, 80-72, in Lafayette after the two teams fought to a 36-36 halftime tie ... Western leads 12-0 in Bowling Green, including 80-70 in 2000 Sun Belt Tournament.

Notebook

Western Kentucky is the defending Sun Belt Tournament champion after defeating Middle Tennessee in last year's finals at Diddle ... UL's Petrakova is the Sun Belt Player of the Year, Tiffany Washington the Newcomer of the Year.