Wilkes-Barre, PA (February 3, 2007) – For the second straight game the DeSales University women’s basketball team opened up a big first-half lead but could not hold on in the second half dropping its second straight Freedom Conference game, 62-58, at King’s College on Saturday afternoon in Scandlon Gymnasium.

 

        The Bulldogs (15-6, 7-3 Freedom) dominated the opening half shooting 40.0 percent from the floor and holding the Lady Monarchs (15-6, 7-3 Freedom) to just 23.3 percent shooting in opening up a 34-22 halftime edge.  DSU’s lead peaked at 13 points twice as senior Kirby Lutz (Easton, PA/Pen Argyl) and sophomore LeighAnn Burke (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan) combined for 21 of the 34 points.

 

        The second half was the complete opposite as KC took control early and held DSU to just 26.7 percent shooting and shot 39.4 percent themselves.  DSU continued to hold a healthy margin, nine points, early in the half before a 23-3 run over a seven and a half minute stretch turned a nine-point deficit into a 52-41 Lady Monarch lead with 7:53 on the clock.

 

        DSU countered the spurt with a quick 8-0 run over the next three and a half minutes as sophomore Kim Rarick (Ringtown, PA/North Schuylkill) tallied four points.

 

        Trailing by five points with 2:06 left, junior Andrea Hochstuhl missed two free throws and Rarick canned a three-pointer from the top of the key to cut the lead down to two points, 58-56, with 1:32 to play.  A missed lay-up on the other end gave DSU the ball but a running jumper from the left side by Burke and a long jumper from the left wing by Lutz were both off the mark and DeSales was forced to foul.

 

        Sophomore Kaitlyn Fiorino made two free throws to push the lead to four points and after a DSU turnover junior Jenna Palumbo hit 1-of-2 freebies to make it a five point game.  Rarick converted a lay-up on the other end with nine ticks left but junior Lauren Kendra made one free throw to make it a four-point game as time ran out on the Bulldogs.

 

        Lutz led the Bulldogs with 18 points, seven rebounds and four steals, Rarick totaled 15 points and Burke finished with 13 points, seven rebounds and four assists.  Freshman Caitlin Miller (Fogelsville, PA/Northwestern Lehigh) had a strong effort off the bench totaling six points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

 

        Palumbo led the Lady Monarchs with 22 points on the strength of four three-pointers, Hochstuhl registered a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, Fiorino totaled 10 points and Kendra finished with nine points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

 

        The Bulldogs will return to action on Wednesday, February 7^th when they host FDU-Florham in another Freedom Conference game beginning at 6:00 pm.