BOX SCORE

Gwynedd Valley, PA (December 10, 2009) – It wasn't easy but the DeSales University women's basketball team got the job done, snapping its four-game losing skid with a 90-89 win over Gwynedd-Mercy College in an overtime thriller in non-conference action on Thursday evening at the Griffin Complex.

The Bulldogs (4-4 overall) showed tremendous heart and desire as well as a refuse to lose attitude in the second half and overtime to get back into the win column. After struggling to shoot the ball once again in the first half (25.6 percent), the Bulldogs torched the nets over the final 25 minutes, shooting 53.7 percent in the second half and overtime. DSU also took excellent care of the ball, committing just seven turnovers over the final 25 minutes, after throwing the ball away 17 times in the first half. DeSales also won the battle on the boards, holding a 47-39 advantage, and forced the Griffins (5-2 overall) into 30 turnovers for the game.

DeSales seemed destined for a win in regulation holding a 76-71 lead as senior Kaila Wiand (Royersford, PA/Spring-Ford) went to the line for two shots with 25 seconds left. Wiand made 1-of-2 pushing the lead to six points but Kristy McGrath, who entered the game with just one trey on three attempts on the season, canned her first of three triples in the game to cut the lead in half with 17 seconds left. After the ball was knocked around in the backcourt DSU was awarded possession and freshman Taylor Greene (Blairstown, NJ/North Warren) was fouled with seven seconds left but she missed both free throws setting up GMC with a chance to tie.

The Griffins worked the ball around the top of the key as the clock wound down and it seemed as though they would not be able to get a shot off before the buzzer but McGrath got a pass at the top of the left wing and let go on a rainbow three, a split second before the buzzer that swished home, tying the game at 77 and forcing overtime.

In the overtime, McGrath struck again at the 2:10 mark when she connected on another triple giving the Griffins an 87-84 lead, but the Bulldogs refused to be denied. After consecutive misses by both teams, junior Megan Montchyk (Bellmawr, NJ/Paul VI) scored on a fast break lay-up cutting the margin down to one and after a steal on the defensive end from Greene, junior Lori Lidlow (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) was fouled on an inbounds pass underneath the Bulldogs hoop and connected on both free throws giving DSU an 88-87 lead with 44 ticks left.

Erica Fulforth drove the lane on the other end and was also fouled with 36 seconds left and she calmly knocked down both charity tosses, giving the Griffins the lead back, 89-88. Lidlow got the ball at the top of the key, drove left, stepped back just inside the foul line and hit nothing but net on a jumper with 17 seconds left giving DSU a 90-89 advantage. GMC called timeout to set up a play with five seconds left, but the Griffins were not able to get a shot off before the buzzer as DeSales celebrated the road win.

Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, combining for 31 turnovers as GMC clung to a 30-23 lead. A 10-0 run mid-way thru the first stanza gave Gwynedd a 27-16 lead but DeSales ended the half scoring seven of the final 10 points to pull within seven at the break.

DSU wasted no time getting back in the game to start the second half opening with a 10-4 run to pull within one point and took its first lead of the half at 41-40 on two free throws from freshman Colleen Gavin (Quakertown, PA/Quakertown). The two teams combined for eight ties and seven lead changes over the final 14 minutes of regulation in what was an offensive showcase for both teams in the second half and overtime.

Senior Caitlin Miller (Fogelsville, PA/Northwestern Lehigh) recorded her third double-double of the season and the 20th of her career with a career-high 24 points and 12 rebounds for the Bulldogs. Lidlow added 23 points on an efficient 6-of-10 shooting from the field and a 10-for-10 effort from the free throw line, scoring 21 of her 23 tallies in the second half and overtime.

Greene added 12 points and Montchyk came off the bench to score eight points, pull down a career-high nine boards, and dish out four assists. Sophomore Hannah Smith (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) handed out five assists, Gavin totaled nine points, all in the second half, while Wiand and sophomore Cherelle Simmons (Lancaster, PA/JP McCaskey) each had six points in the win.

McGrath led the Griffins with 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Fulforth and Kate Wisniewski each had 14 points and Jackie Dooley totaled 12 points and eight rebounds in the loss.

The Bulldogs waste no time returning to action when they travel to Messiah College for another non-conference game on Saturday night at 7:00 pm.