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SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame senior Kathryn Westbeld went down early in the game with a rolled left ankle and did not return as the top-seeded Irish were playing Cal State Northridge in a first-round game on Friday night.
Often referred by McGraw as "the glue" of team, Westbeld went down after her short jumper was blocked by Channon Fluker with 7:35 left in the first quarter. As Westbeld was getting up slowly to limp back into the action, CSUN's Destiny Brooks hit her second 3-pointer of the quarter to give the Matadors an 8-2 lead. Notre Dame finally got a timeout with 6:51 to get Westbeld out of the game.
After receiving courtside attention from the team physician and trainer, Westbeld left the court before halftime and returned after the third quarter started, limping with her ankle taped, to take a seat on the bench for the rest of the game.
Westbeld had surgery on her right ankle following last season.
The Irish finished the first quarter on a 21-8 run to lead 23-16 after the first quarter and then stretched the lead to 55-32 at halftime thanks to 81.3 shooting (13 of 16) in the second quarter while Westbeld was being treated in the locker room.
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