BOX SCORE

Purchase, NY (February 3, 2010) – The DeSales University women's basketball team won its fifth straight game, using a terrific defensive effort to defeat Manhattanville College, 53-52, in Freedom Conference action on Wednesday night to move within one game of first place.

This game came right down to the very end. With 15.1 seconds left the Valiants had the ball with a chance to win the game and called timeout. Simona Gordon took the inbounds pass, dribbled a few times at the top of the key, drove into the right side of the lane and tossed up a lay-up that seemed to be rolling thru the rim, but instead the ball rimmed out and freshman Colleen Gavin (Quakertown, PA/Quakertown) pulled down a huge rebound as time expired as the Bulldogs celebrated a huge road win.

DeSales (11-9, 6-3 Freedom) never trailed in this game, opening up a 9-0 lead as four different players scored to start the game. MC (13-7, 7-2 Freedom) bounced back with a 7-1 run to cut the lead down to three points but the Bulldogs pushed the advantage back to nine points (18-9) on a jumper from senior Kelly Magrann (Sinking Spring, PA/Holy Name) at the 9:25 mark.

The two teams went back and forth the rest of the half before a three-pointer from junior Megan Montchyk (Bellmawr, NJ/Paul VI) from the left corner with 10 seconds left gave the Bulldogs a six-point halftime lead, 33-27. DSU shot a blistering 48.3 percent in the first half and held the Valiants to just 36.7 percent shooting.

The Bulldogs continued to control play at the start of the second half using an 8-0 run over the first six and a half minutes to take a 41-27 lead. Manhattanville did not put a point on the scoreboard over the first 6:37 before Carol Ortiz hit a lay-up at the 13:23 mark to cut the lead down to 12 points. DSU continued to lead by 14 at the 10:12 mark after two free throws from junior Lori Lidlow (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North), before MC started to chip away at the DSU advantage.

A lay-up from junior Cherelle Simmons (Lancaster, PA/JP McCaskey) at the 7:27 mark gave DSU an 11-point lead but Manhattanville went on a 10-2 run over the next four minutes to cut the lead down to three points (50-47) with 3:11 left. Lidlow hit two free throws to stop the spurt but an Ortiz lay-up again made it a three-point game with 1:45 to go.

DSU missed two straight shots on the offensive end but grabbed the offensive rebound each time as Gavin was fouled on the second rebound. She hit the first free throw but missed the second as Manhattanville took possession down four points. On the ensuing offensive possession for the Valiants, the shot clock was winding down and Taylor Wilson was forced to toss up a long three-pointer two feet beyond the men's three-point line that went thru the hoop making it 53-52. DeSales worked the ball around but missed on a short jumper just outside the lane setting up the final 15 seconds of the game.

Gavin finished with a team-high 14 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to record her fifth double-double of the season, while also adding four steals. Simmons also had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds and Lidlow reached double figures with 12 points. Magrann had eight points and four steals to round out the DeSales leaders.

Wilson led the Valiants with 19 points and Gordon registered a double-double with 14 points and 11 rebounds and added five steals. Janetta Arnold came off the bench to score 10 points and grab eight rebounds in the loss.

The Bulldogs return home and to Freedom Conference play on Saturday, when they host Delaware Valley College in another very important Freedom Conference game beginning at 1:00 pm. For those unable to attend you will be able to follow the game's progress online via LIVE Stats and Audio.