Dallas, PA (February 13, 2018) - Junior Bridget Walsh (Dunmore, PA) recorded her third double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds leading the DeSales University women's basketball team past Misericordia University, 59-48, clinching a spot in the MAC Freedom postseason tournament on Tuesday evening.

The Bulldogs (14-10, 9-4 MAC Freedom) are now in sole possession of third place in the MAC Freedom standings with one game left to play.  DSU clinches its 21st consecutive spot in the MAC Freedom postseason tournament having never missed the postseason since joining the conference at the start of the 1997-98 season.  DeSales still has a shot at earning a home game in the opening round with a win at Delaware Valley on Saturday and a King's loss to FDU-Florham.

This one started slowly for both teams as the two squads combined for just four points over the first 6:10 before both teams caught fire with DSU leading 14-11 after one quarter.  The Bulldogs extended its lead to 11 points twice, including 24-13, with 7:44 to go, but then went cold scoring just two points to end the half as the Cougars (15-9, 8-5 MAC Freedom) finished the half on a 15-2 run to take a 28-26 lead into the break.

It was all DeSales in the second-half as the Bulldogs out-scored MU, 17-10, in the third quarter.  DSU opened the half on a 7-0 run to take a 33-30 lead after a jumper from Walsh and finished the quarter with back-to-back lay-ups from Walsh to lead 43-38 after three quarters.

Another Walsh jumper to start the fourth quarter gave DSU a seven-point edge and went to double digits (52-42) on yet another Walsh lay-in with 5:39 to go.  Misericordia cut the margin down to six points at the 3:06 mark but a gorgeous feed from junior Morgan Birmelin (Honesdale, PA) to sophomore Molly Jansco (Newfoundland, PA) for lay-up pushed the lead back to eight and the DeSales' defense did the rest holding MU to just two points over the final 3:06.

Four players reached double digits along with Walsh including junior Leandra Sterner (Northampton, PA) with 16 points and Jansco and senior Kaitlin Kelly (Newtown, PA) with 10 each.  Birmelin finished with 10 assists and Sterner had six steals in the win.  Walsh added five blocks.

Misericordia got 11 points from both Rachel Carmody and Japriya Carroll.  Paige Wampole finished with 11 rebounds in the loss.

After shooting just 28.6 percent in the first-half, DSU hit 42.9 percent in the second-half.  DSU also held MU to just 28.1 percent for the game and forced 22 Cougar turnovers.

The Bulldogs finish up the regular season on Saturday when they travel to Delaware Valley University for a MAC Freedom contest beginning at 1:00 pm.