TEN QUESTIONS WITH...

Since your arrival at UB, you've started almost every game. You were also selected as co-captain this season, despite being only a sophomore. How have you been able to handle those challenges so early in your collegiate career?
I don't think of it in the sense that I have different responsibilities. For the most part, my teammates don't put a lot of pressure on me. They voted me a captain - and that was something I couldn't believe when I heard it. But, I'm continuing to do what I did before. Because, whatever it was I was doing must have been all right. It's an honor for sure, but I don't think about it too much.

Describe the experience of both playing and beating North Carolina in your first collegiate game.
That was amazing. I probably haven't had a feeling that tops that, yet. To have your first game be one of the highlights of your college career - and I hope we have a bunch more, the NCAA Tournament would be the best. I couldn't believe that. To come out and beat North Carolina was great. When I was a kid, I saw Charlotte Smith hit a three-pointer to win the NCAA Championship - and that was the same team she played for. And we came out and beat them in a hard fought game. Then, with everyone crashing the floor it felt like a dream.

Moving to the other end of the spectrum, how disappointing was the loss to Akron in the MAC Tournament?
No one will ever forget that shot at the end. Everything went Akron's way in that game. We played a decent game, but when a team plays a perfect game it's difficult to beat them. That definitely left a sour spot in our stomachs.

What kind of influence has Soni Ortega - your teammate from last season - had on you?
Soni has done a lot for me and has motivated me to become a better player. She helped me all summer - working with me on everything from ballhandling to conditioning. I look up to her so much as both a player and a person.

Your team started slowly this season, but has started to string together some victories now. What is your outlook for the remainder of the season?
I think we are going to keep getting better, as we have all season. Last year, we had a lot of seniors on the floor. They had been playing together in the system for a long time. This year, we had a lot of people learning new plays and learning others' offensive tendencies. So, right now it's just a matter of time. We're beginning to gel together and getting better on a day-to-day basis on both the offensive and defensive ends.

UB is ranked ninth in the country in scoring defense. What has made your defense so successful?
At the beginning of the year we played a lot of zone - and we did a really good job with it. Now, as the season has gone on some teams have started to knock down some three-pointers so we've had to change our look at times. There's no doubt that communication is the key. When we have played a tight defensive game; it's because we communicated well. We focus on that in practice, day-in and day-out. During a game, we know at least that if our offensive isn't there, our defense will be.

How much has the return of Kim Kilpela to your lineup meant?
It's helped a lot. Now we have a three-post rotation. Before, we had Jessica Kochendorfer and Rachel Martin playing the whole game - now, they can get a breather. They also know they can play extremely hard because they can get a rest if they need one.

The Bulls have struggled away from Alumni Arena. Why do you think that has been the case?
We lost a couple of road games early, but we've won two out of our last four on the road with wins over Eastern Carolina and Akron. I think it has more to do with the timing, we struggled at the beginning of the year. I don't think you'll be seeing as many losses on the road now that we're later in the season.

Your team loses only one player after this season. Talk about the potential this program has in the coming years.
It should be fruitful, as long as everyone stays together and keeps working hard - the way we are now. But, we don't want to look ahead to next year. We're focused on this year, trying to win games and seeing how far we can go.

How important was the location of UB and its membership in the Mid-American Conference in your choice to come here?
It was very important because I felt the need for my parents to be able to come and see the games. I also have a lot of family in Ohio and West Virginia, so most games there's usually a face I recognize in the crowd, regardless of whether it's away or home.

-The "10 Questions with…" feature is compiled by Geoff Nason.