Miller’s Double-Double leads #17 DeSales past Misericordia, 58-49

Junior Caitlin Miller recorded her first double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Box Score

BOX SCORE

Dallas, PA (December 6, 2008) – The 17^th ranked DeSales University women's basketball team overcame a poor shooting afternoon to earn a hard-fought win on the road, 58-49, over Misericordia University in a Freedom Conference game in the Anderson Center.

The Bulldogs shot just 30.6 percent from the field but used a terrific effort on the defensive end to scratch out another road conference win. DSU finished with a 45-42 edge on the glass and forced 21 Cougar (1-4, 0-1 Freedom) turnovers to record the win.

A 10-0 run early in the opening half gave DeSales a 14-4 lead as senior LeighAnn Burke (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan) scored five of the 10 points, but the Bulldogs went cold from the field going scoreless over the next four and a half minutes but continued to lead, thanks in part to some solid defense.

A three-point play by freshman Cherelle Simmons (Lancaster, PA/JP McCaskey) broke the scoreless streak, and another trey by Burke and a jumper from freshman Hannah Smith (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) highlighted a quick 7-0 run as the lead went back to 10 points (22-12) at the 8:04 mark.

DSU, however, again went cold from the field scoring just seven points over the final eight minutes as they clung to a three-point advantage (29-26) entering the locker rooms.

A back-and-forth start to the second half was broken open at the 8:30 mark when junior Kaila Wiand (Royersford, PA/Spring-Ford) connected on a three-pointer from the top of the key giving DeSales a six-point lead, 43-37. Leading by five a few minutes later junior Caitlin Miller (Fogelsville, PA/Northwestern Lehigh) went to work hitting two free throws and grabbing a big offensive rebound on the next possession, converting a lay-up to put DeSales up nine with 5:49 to go.

Misericordia never got any closer than six points the rest of the way as the Bulldogs closed out the first semester portion of their Freedom Conference schedule with two important road wins.

Miller finished with her first double-double of the season, 10 points and 10 rebounds, most of which came in the second half after she played just three minutes in the first half due to injury. Senior Kim Rarick (Ringtown, PA/North Schuylkill) added 13 points, three assists, and two steals, while Burke finished with 12 points and three steals in the win.

Simmons added five points and a season-high nine boards, while Wiand (eight points, eight rebounds) and freshman Megan Bedard (Limerick, PA/Spring-Ford) (three points, three assists) led the charge off the bench.

Lacey DeGraw recorded a double-double for Misericordia with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while senior Lindsey Sykes pulled down 11 rebounds in the loss.

The Bulldogs return to action on Monday, December 8^th when they return home to play host to Gwynedd-Mercy College beginning at 7:00 pm.

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