Montclair, NJ (December 29, 2017) - The DeSales University women's basketball team started strong but was unable to hold on after a strong first quarter falling at Montclair State University, 75-57, in the opening game of the Gelston/Paskert Holiday Tournament on Friday evening.

Junior Leandra Sterner (Northampton, PA) led the scoring attack with 15 points and senior Kaitlin Kelly (Newtown, PA) added 10 tallies in her first start of the year.  Junior Morgan Birmelin (Honesdale, PA) finished with eight points, eight rebounds, and seven assists and junior Bridget Walsh (Dunmore, PA) had nine points.

Montclair State (10-1) got a game-high 26 points from Katie Sire and 14 points and nine assists from Kate Tobie in the win.

DeSales (5-5) started strong opening up a 14-8 lead and continued to lead by two (20-18) at the end of one quarter of play.  The Bulldogs then went cold in the second quarter hitting just 3-for-18 from the field as the Red Hawks took advantage out-scoring the Bulldogs, 23-8, in the quarter to take a 41-28 lead into the locker room.

The lead grew to as many as 24 points twice in the third quarter and reached 27 in the final quarter before DSU ended the game on an 8-1 run to close it out.

DeSales hit just 31.1 percent from the field, while Montclair State converted 50.8 percent of its attempts in the game.  The Bulldogs did a good job forcing 19 Red Hawk turnovers leading to 17 points.

DSU is right back in action tomorrow facing the top ranked team in the country, Tufts University, in the consolation game after Tufts was upset in the second game on Saturday by Albright College.