Center Valley, PA (November 19, 2016) - Senior Morgan McCollian and sophomore Leandra Sterner each scored a game-high 17 points leading the DeSales University women's basketball team past Haverford College, 66-58, on day one of the Morgan Stanley (Easton office) Tip-off Tournament on Saturday afternoon in Billera Hall.

The Bulldogs (2-0) will face St. Vincent College (1-1), an 83-58 winner over William Paterson (1-1) in the other game on day one of the tournament, on Sunday in the championship game beginning at 4:00 pm.  Haverford (0-2) and WPU will face off in consolation game at 2:00 pm.

DSU overcame a sizeable size advantage vs. the Fords using some terrific perimeter pressure forcing 15 Haverford turnovers and scoring 16 points off those turnovers.  DeSales extended a one-point lead with 2:33 to go in the first quarter to eight (22-14) with seven quick points and led by as many as 12 points (33-21) in the opening half before HC closed to within nine on a three at the halftime buzzer.

The Bulldogs were quick out of the locker room scoring 12 of the first 14 points in the second-half to take a 45-26 lead with 7:32 left in the third quarter.  Sterner and McCollian each had five points during the spurt.  DSU's lead grew to as many as 21 points before the Fords closed to within nine at the end of the quarter using a 14-2 run over the final 4:39 of the quarter.

The lead swayed between seven and 11 points over the first eight minutes of the fourth quarter before HC pulled to within four with 1:35 to go but two free throws from McCollian and another from Sterner pushed the margin back up to seven with 50 seconds left and DSU never looked back.

Sterner show 7-for-11 from the field and canned two 3's, while McCollian hit 7-for-12 and grabbed a team-high eight rebounds.  Sophomore Melissa Rickens had one of the best games of her career off the bench, totaling seven points in 26 minutes and grabbing five rebounds.  Sophomore Bridget Walsh had six points, seven rebounds, and two blocks as well off the bench.  Sophomore Morgan Birmelin had a game-high seven assists and Sterner added four steals in the win.  Senior Nikki Callahan also came up big with three blocked shots.

Haverford got 14 points apiece from Macy Goldbach and Samantha Wetzel as well as nine boards from Wetzel in the loss.