BOX SCORE

Ithaca, NY (March 5, 2010) – Junior Lori Lidlow (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) scored a team-high 20 points to lead four players in double digits as the DeSales University women's basketball team won its 13th straight game, defeating host Ithaca College, 62-53, in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Tournament on Friday evening in Ben Light Gymnasium.

The Bulldogs advance to play Williams College, who defeated Mt. St. Mary College in the opening round, on Saturday in the second round beginning at 7:00 pm. For those unable to attend you will be able to follow online via LIVE Stats, LIVE Audio, or LIVE Video.

DSU (19-9 overall) jumped out of the gates opening up a 12-4 lead with senior Kelly Magrann (Sinking Spring, PA/Holy Name) leading the way with eight of the 12 points including two three-pointers. Ithaca (22-6 overall) rebounded using a 12-2 run over the next five minutes to take a 16-14 lead at the 10:21 mark.

Lidlow stopped the run with a three to put the Bulldogs back on top. The Bombers lead, 24-23, at the 5:28 mark but DSU used a 13-1 run to end the half and take a 36-25 lead into the locker room. Lidlow scored seven points and sophomore Hannah Smith (New Cumberland, PA/Cedar Cliff) added four points during the end of the half run. DeSales shot 43.8 percent from the field and Ithaca made just 31.0 percent of its attempts in the opening twenty minutes.

In the second DSU opened up a 15-point lead on a lay-up from freshman Jessica Hoover (Emmaus, PA/Emmaus) at the 17:46 mark. Ithaca started to chip away but DeSales continued to lead by 10 points (52-42) mid-way thru the half before Katherine Bixby scored seven straight points including a three-pointer to pull the Bombers within three points, 52-49.

Sophomore Cherelle Simmons (Lancaster, PA/JP McCaskey) came up big on DSU's next possession hitting a jumper along the baseline and after two more Bixby free throws, Hoover grabbed an offensive rebound and made one free throw to put DSU up 55-51 with 1:43 left to play.

After an Ithaca miss on the other end, Hoover again grabbed the rebound and Simmons was fouled where she hit both free throws as the Bulldogs canned 7-of-8 from the charity stripe down the stretch, providing the final score.

Lidlow finished with 20 points on an efficient 6-of-13 shooting effort. Magrann added 11 points, Simmons recorded her fourth double-double of the year with 10 points and 10 rebounds and Hoover tallied a season-high 10 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Smith finished with nine points and also had three steals.

Bixby finished with 21 points and Elissa Klie added 10 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.