Wilkes-Barre, PA (January 14, 2015) – Four players reached double digits including a team-high 14 points from sophomore Morgan McCollian leading the DeSales University women's basketball team past King's College, 57-51, in Freedom Conference action on Wednesday evening in Scandlon Gymnasium.
 
McCollian recorded her sixth double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds, 12 points in the second-half, and junior Jen Napolitano was outstanding off the bench hitting for a career-high 12 points.  Sophomore Megan Baird added 11 points and senior Mikelyn Mackavage tossed in 10 points, all in the first-half.  Sophomore Nikki Callahan finished with five assists and four steals and junior Kelly Anthony pulled down 10 boards in the win.
 
King's (5-8, 1-2 Freedom) was led by sophomore Kayla Feairheller with a game-high 21 points including four three's and senior Marissa Manning with 10 points.
 
Trailing 6-4 early DSU (9-5, 3-0 Freedom) slowly built a six-point (14-8) lead on a three-point play from Napolitano at the 11:37 mark and held the lead the rest of the half taking its largest advantage of the half at the break (29-21) on a jumper from Napolitano with 11 seconds left.
 
The Bulldogs dominated the start of the half as Baird got hot hitting two three's early to give DSU a 41-27 lead with 15:20 to go.
 
King's answered with an 8-0 run to close within 41-35 before both teams went scoreless over the next 2:26 before five straight points from Napolitano gave DeSales a 46-35 lead with 8:43 remaining.
 
The Lady Monarchs refused to go away however scoring six straight points to pull within 46-41 with 6:18 to go.  A McCollian put-back and lay-up on back-to-back possessions and a short jumper from Anthony pushed the lead back to 11 points (52-41) with 4:26 on the clock.
 
KC had one more rally left using a 9-3 run that ended with a short jumper from Feairheller with 48 ticks left pulling King's within three points (54-51).  The Lady Monarchs fouled Callahan on the next possession and she hit one free throw and after a three-point miss on the other end Baird iced the win with two more free throws posting the final tally.
 
DSU shot 36.5 percent from the field and held King's to just 34.0 percent shooting.  The Bulldogs dominated the glass owning a 50-33 edge on the glass.
 
The Bulldogs will return to action on Saturday when they host the #1 ranked team in the nation and defending National Champion, FDU-Florham Devils, in Billera Hall beginning at 1:00 pm.