Center Valley, PA, (February 22, 2006) – Freshman LeighAnn Burke (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan) scored a game-high 23 points to lead the DeSales University women’s basketball team past Delaware Valley College, 61-48, in the semifinals of the Freedom Conference playoffs on Wednesday evening in Billera Hall.

 

        The win advances DSU to the Freedom Conference championship game for the second straight year and for the sixth time in nine years.  The Bulldogs (16-10 overall) will play The University of Scranton also for the second straight year as the Lady Royals defeated King’s College, 70-51, in the other semifinal.  Game time will be announced sometime on Thursday.

 

        Tonight’s game was not the prettiest if you like crisp passing and pure shooting but if your taste is more like in your face defensive pressure than Billera Hall was the place to be, especially in the second half, on Wednesday evening.  DSU held the Aggies (17-9 overall) to 11.1 percent (3-for-27) shooting in the second half to erase a three-point halftime deficit and record the 13-point win.

 

        The first half was saw both teams struggle from the field as DSU canned just 22.6 percent and DVC made 34.5 percent of its shot attempts.  The Aggies raced out to a healthy advantage, leading by 10 points on four different occasions and took its largest lead, 19-8, at the 9:12 mark.  Sophomore Moira Donohue led the way with 10 points for Delaware Valley.

 

        DSU started to chip away at the lead, using a 7-1 run to make it 20-15 at the 6:27 mark.  Burke started the spurt with a trey, sophomore Amanda Kuperavage (Port Carbon, PA/Nativity BVM) hit a long jumper and freshman Kim Rarick (Ringtown, PA/North Schuylkill) hit two free throws to round out the scoring.

 

        A jumper by freshman Kristen Bone and another jumper from sophomore Brooke Dittmar pushed the lead up to nine points at 24-15 before DSU hit 3-of-6 from the line and Kuperavage scored on a driving lay-up to cut the margin to four points.  The half ended with a jumper from senior Jennifer McCarthy and a three-pointer at the buzzer just inside half court from Burke to make it a 26-23 game favoring the visitors.

 

        DVC again controlled the scoreboard to start the second half as they pushed the lead up to eight points on two free throws from junior Rachel Joyce and a lay-up plus one from senior Juli McGowan.  That field goal was the last one for the Aggies over the next nine minutes as DSU used an 18-3 run to take a 41-34 lead on a three-pointer from freshman Erica Sovak (Tuxedo, NY/George F. Baker).  Rarick also hit a three-pointer during the run which untied the score and Burke led the way with seven of the 18 points.

 

        Four straight free throws from Joyce made it a five point game but the Bulldogs scored six straight points over the next two minutes to take a 49-38 lead and never really looked back as the lead grew to as many as 17 points, 58-41, before the final margin was posted.

 

        Burke was sensational in scoring 23 points and dishing out five assists on the offensive end.  Kuperavage totaled 12 points and pulled down nine rebounds and Rarick was also in double digits with 10 points, including two three-pointers.  Sovak tallied nine points and pulled down a season-high 12 rebounds as DSU improved to 8-0 when they out-rebound its opponent holding a 46-44 edge on the glass.