BOX SCORE

Center Valley, PA (November 17, 2009) – The DeSales University women's basketball took awhile to get going but after a sluggish first 12 minutes head coach Fred Richter's pressure defense got to Cedar Crest College forcing 36 turnovers for the game as the Bulldogs rolled past the Falcons, 97-72, in the 2009-10 season opener for both teams in Billera Hall on Tuesday evening.

Cedar Crest (0-1) was on fire throughout the first 12 minutes of the game hitting 4-of-5 three-pointers en route to a 27-26 lead at the 8:17 mark but then DeSales (1-0 overall) took the game over on the defensive end, using a 17-1 run over the next three and a half minutes to turn a one-point deficit into a 15-point lead (43-28) at the 4:50 mark. During the run, DSU's trademark defensive pressure forced seven turnovers, while freshman Taylor Greene (Blairstown, NJ/North Warren) converted two of them into fast break lay-ups for a team-high five points during the spurt. The lead swelled to as many as 20 in the first half before DSU settled for a 55-37 edge at the break.

The second-half was all Bulldogs as they forced 18 more turnovers and built as much as a 30-point lead four times before the final 25-point margin was posted. DeSales dominated the glass, out-rebounding Cedar Crest, 53-37, for the game and pulling down 34 offensive boards en route to 24 second chance points. DSU also took advantage of the CCC miscues scoring 41 points off 36 Falcon turnovers.

Junior Lori Lidlow (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) had a solid debut for the Bulldogs with a game-high 26 points on 9-of-19 shooting from the field, including five three-pointers. Senior Caitlin Miller (Fogelsville, PA/Northwestern Lehigh) finished with 13 points and a team-high nine boards, while senior Kelly Magrann (Sinking Spring, PA/Holy Name) led all players off the bench with 12 points and pulled down seven boards. Freshman Colleen Gavin (Quakertown, PA/Quakertown) also gave DSU a boost off the bench with 11 points and six boards, five of which were offensive.

The point guard duo of sophomore Hannah Smith (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) and Greene combined for 16 points, six assists, and six steals, while senior Kaila Wiand (Royersford, PA/Spring-Ford) added seven points and sophomore Cherelle Simmons (Lancaster, PA/JP McCaskey) totaled six points, grabbed seven rebounds, and had four steals. Junior Shaina Dymond (Shickshinny, PA/Northwest) finished with five points and seven boards in the win.

DeSales returns to action on Saturday when they host Juniata College in the first game of its Starter's Restaurants Tip-Off Tournament held on Saturday and Sunday in Billera Hall. Tip for the Bulldogs opening round game on Saturday is 6:00 pm.