The first portion of the 2009-2010 basketball season has been rocky for the Central College women’s team, but it has had its bright spots. The Dutch are 2-8 overall, but those wins included a 70-43 rout of Grinnell College, and a 72-67 win over Wartburg that snapped Central’s 22-year winless drought in Waverly.

Of greater concern for Coach Jerry Nikkel’s team is getting healthy. In a tough stretch to close out their pre-Christmas schedule, Central was without the services of four of their top players, including leading scorer and rebounder Sarah Paulson. The Central women will get to enjoy some warmer weather over break, with the Southwestern University Invitational on Monday and Tuesday in Georgetown, Texas.