LACEY — There was the pass from the top of the key that resulted in an uncontested layup.
A pair of offensive rebounds to keep a possession alive. And the leap to tip an inbounds pass that led to a turnover.
All of these scenarios — in the game’s final four minutes Saturday night at St. Martin’s University — represent the multifaceted talents of Western Oregon senior Dana Goularte.
Goularte, a 2011 South Kitsap graduate, was just happy to make an impact during the Wolves’ 48-47 loss. She sustained a high left ankle sprain Jan. 3 against St. Martin’s and feared she would not return this season. But Goularte, who leads WOU in a variety of statistics, including points (15.1), blocks (1.6), rebounds (9.6) and steals (1.9) per game, missed just four contests.
“It feels good to be back,” she said. “That’s all I want.”
Goularte’s production has diminished since her return as she has averaged 11 points and 5.3 rebounds during the Wolves’ last three games. But both Goularte and coach Holli Howard-Carpenter said she is not fully healthy. Howard-Carpenter said she has limited Goularte during practice, which has resulted in her being “a little bit winded at times” during games. Despite that, Goularte had a season-high seven steals against St. Martin’s.
Even when she is healthy, Howard-Carpenter believes her 6-foot forward can develop even more. Goularte played club soccer before she transferred as a junior in 2009 from Tacoma’s Life Christian Academy and played that sport at South along with track, where she competed in the high jump as an 11th-grader.
Basketball was not her sole athletic focus until she enrolled at WOU.
“She hasn’t even hit her peak, which is typical of girls sometimes,” Howard- Carpenter said. “I think she still has room to grow.”
For those reasons, Howard-Carpenter believes Goularte, who surpassed 1,000 career points Dec. 18 against Dixie State at the Las Vegas Challenge, could have an opportunity to play at the professional level.
“Dana’s the type of kid who if she wants something, she will go get it done whether that’s academically or on the court,” she said. “She definitely has the ability.”
Goularte, a business major, said that is among a variety of possibilities. She has contemplated pursuing a master’s in sports management with an eye toward being an athletic director at a high school or college. Goularte said she also would consider a future in coaching and Howard- Carpenter would welcome her as a graduate assistant.
“I’ve kind of put it out there to her,” Howard-Carpenter said. “We would love to have her if she wanted to stay.”
For now, Goularte is focused on the Wolves’ final eight regular-season games. Unlike her time at South, where she helped guide the program to a 20-win season and the second round of the Class 4A state tournament, on-court success has been elusive in Monmouth, Ore. The Wolves have lost at least 20 games in each of the last three seasons. WOU entered this week with a 5-13 record and were 2-8 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
“It’s tough, but the competition is completely different,” said Goularte, referring to the difference between high school and college. “It’s a whole ’nother mindset. You can’t get too down on your- self.”
Or surrender hope.
Howard-Carpenter said she wants to see Goularte experience the postseason as a reward for her contributions to the program.
“She’s just an all-around great person,” she said. “Genuine. She works hard. She’s very selfless. She does so much for her team. We’re really pushing hard for her to get a couple of extra games.”
