Gonzaga women ready to play someone besides themselves

The clock is running for the Gonzaga women – too quickly at times, but mostly not fast enough.

The exhibition against Western Washington is still nine days away, which at times feels like an eternity after weeks of intrasquad practices.

The Zags held another one Tuesday afternoon at the Volkar Center, splitting up and going up against each other or the practice players.

That will change Sunday, when the Zags play a closed-door scrimmage against an unnamed opponent, and on Nov. 4, when they play for semi-real against Western Washington, the national runner-up last year in Division 2.

Fortier said the players and coaches are looking forward to “having someone else on the other side of the ball, who can’t cheat the play, who doesn’t know the play call and we don’t feel bad about beating up on.”

More important, the Zags will get a chance to play “as a unified team,” Fortier said.

Until then, the Zags have no choice but to beat up on each other. In the process, they’re helping Fortier and her staff figure out minutes and rotations.

The obvious question – who’s starting? – got a quick rebuff.

“I’m not ready to say because I don’t know,” Fortier said.

She allowed for the possibility that Kaylynne Truong might start in the backcourt alongside twin sister, Kaylynne.

That would boost scoring and playmaking at the expense of size, said Fortier, who also sang the praises of graduate transfer guard Brynna Maxwell.

In addition to accuracy from long range, “She brings incredible competitiveness,” Fortier said of Maxwell, who at 6-foot can also play the wing. Then again, so could junior McKayla Williams, who impressed everyone at FanFest with her 3-point shooting.

Inside, Fortier all but admitted that either redshirt junior Eliza Hollingsworth or sophomore Maud Huijbens will get the start alongside junior Yvonne Ejim.

While Hollingsworth has more game experience and a strong outside shot, Fortier likened Huijbens to recent graduate Melody Kempton and standout post Shelby Cheslek, who graduated in 2016.

“When they on the same team, they are really hard to stop,” Fortier said of Hollingsworth and Huijbens.

No matter who gets the start, they’ll be in good company with Ejim. A backup last year, the 6-1 junior is expected to be a force inside.

But she wants more.

“I want to extend my game to the perimeter and making myself a threat all around the court,” Ejim said. “But I’m just excited to play – these last couple of weeks have been going a little slower than we want them to.”