Williamsport, PA, (January 25, 2006) – Junior Kirby Lutz (Easton, PA/Pen Argyl) scored 19 of her 22 points in the second half to lead the DeSales University women’s basketball team over Lycoming College, 64-60, in an important Freedom Conference game in Lamade Gymnasium.

 

        DeSales (10-8, 4-3 Freedom) shot 42.6 percent from the field, 48.0 percent in the second half to earn the win.  The Bulldogs made eight treys and also shot 80.0 percent (16-of-20) from the free throw line.  Lycoming (4-12, 1-6 Freedom) committed 25 turnovers and shot just 37.7 percent from the field.

 

        DSU jumped ahead, 11-4, over the first six minutes of the game but went cold the rest of the half, scoring just seven points and settling for a one-point halftime lead, 21-20.  Freshman Kim Rarick (Ringtown, PA/North Schuylkill) totaled eight first-half points to lead the DeSales attack.

 

        The game remained a close affair to start the second half with the Warriors taking a 27-25 lead with 14:06 to play.  The Bulldogs took a timeout still trailing by two points at the 13:37 mark and responded out of the timeout with a 20-3 run giving DSU a 45-30 lead with 9 ½ minutes left.

 

        Sophomore Jenna Stampf (Nazareth, PA/Notre Dame) started the run with two free throws, Lutz hit a lay-up following a steal in the backcourt and freshman LeighAnn Burke (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan) nailed a triple on the next possession.  Consecutive lay-ups by Stampf were followed by seven straight points from Lutz and an offensive put-back by freshman Erica Sovak (Tuxedo, NY/George F. Baker) to finish off the run.

 

        Still leading by 15 with 7:22 to go, Lycoming scored eight straight points to cut the lead down to seven but Lutz answered once again with a triple at the 3:37 mark to push the lead back to double digits, 52-42.  The Warriors again refused to quit scoring seven straight points by virtue of two straight DSU turnovers and the lead was down to three points, 52-49.

 

        DSU again looked to Lutz and she came thru converting a lay-up on the other end sparking an 8-0 run that made it 60-49 and the Bulldogs hit 4-of-6 from the line the rest of the way to post the final margin.

 

        Lutz shot 7-of-9 from the field and hit three treys for her 22 points.  Burke added 12 points, Rarick scored 10 points and sophomore Amanda Kuperavage (Port Carbon, PA/Nativity BVM) also scored 10 in the win.  Stampf contributed six points off the bench, Sovak grabbed a season and game-high 10 rebounds and Rarick added five assists and five steals for the Bulldogs.

 

        Freshman Andrea Cooper totaled 19 points and senior Danielle Kern recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds in the losing effort.