Center Valley, PA, (February 11, 2006) – Junior Kirby Lutz (Easton, PA/Pen Argyl) scored a game-high 23 points and the DeSales University women’s basketball team inched one step closer to earning a Freedom Conference playoff berth with a 77-47 win over Lycoming College on Saturday afternoon in Billera Hall.

 

        DSU (14-9, 8-4 Freedom) dominated all 40 minutes as they forced 30 Warrior (5-17, 1-11 Freedom) turnovers and shot 45.2 percent from the field in recording the win.  The Bulldogs could have clinched a playoff spot today with a win and a Drew loss at King’s but the game at King’s was re-scheduled for Thursday due to the inclement weather sweeping thru the Mid-Atlantic region.

 

         DeSales can now clinch a playoff berth with a win at Delaware Valley College on Tuesday.  DSU can still earn as high as the #2 seed, but could also finish as low as fifth and out of the playoffs if they lose its last two and several other teams win their remaining games.

 

        Trailing 5-2 in the early stages, DeSales out-scored Lycoming 23-4 over the next eight and a half minutes to open up a 25-9 lead and never really looked back.  The Bulldogs finished with 20 assists on 28 made baskets and had 17 steals in the win.  DSU shot 47.2 percent in the second half and led by as many as 38 points before posting the final margin.

 

        Lutz scored her 23 on a 6-for-9 shooting performance from the field and a 9-for-9 effort from the foul line.  Also reaching double digits were freshmen Erica Sovak (Tuxedo, NY/George F. Baker) and LeighAnn Burke (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan) with 13 and 12 points respectively.  Fellow freshmen Kim Rarick (Ringtown, PA/North Schuylkill) had six points, four assists and four steals and Gretchen Dietz (Bethel, PA/Hamburg) added six points and four rebounds off the bench.

 

        Senior Amy Kile totaled 14 points and grabbed five rebounds and fellow senior Stacy Lindeman had 11 points and six rebounds in the losing effort.