JANUARY 13, 2016
KING'S WOMEN FALL TO DESALES, 76-65
CENTER VALLEY -- The host DeSales University women's basketball outscored King's College 46-36 over the final 20 minutes of play as the Bulldogs posted a 76-65 Freedom Conference victory Wednesday night in Center Valley.
With the win DeSales improved to 10-4 overall and 3-0 in conference play while King's fell to 8-5 and 2-1.
King's opened the game with an 11-8 lead thanks to three-pointers by Kasey Seitz and Kayla Feairheller, along with a traditional three-point play from Tara Zdancewicz. After a DeSales bucket, Zdandewicz countered with a three-pointer to put the Lady Monarchs on top 14-10. Alexis Steeber then converted one-of-two foul shots at the 0:22 mark to give King's a 15-10 lead at the end of the first quarter.
In the second stanza Olivia Hoffman scored inside to push the King's lead to 17-10. But DeSales answered with a 9-0 run capped by a Kelly Anthony lay-up with 5:37 left in the half. to give the Bulldogs a 19-10 lead.
After a Hoffman bucket knotted the game at 19-19, DeSales put together an 8-3 surge to build a 27-22 lead at the 3:18 mark. King's answered with a bucket from Alexis Steeber and a three-pointer by Cayle Spencer to tie the game at 27-27 with 1:11 remaining in the half. With the game tied at 29-29, Megan Baird gave DeSales a 30-29 lead at the break when Megan Baird was fouled with 0:06 left and made one-of-two free throws.
In the third quarter King's took a 39-33 lead with 7:25 on the clock on a three-pointer from Seitz, an inside bucket from Jennifer Fabian, and five points by Feairheller, DeSales outscored King's 21-13 to take a 49-46 leaad at the 2:00 mark. King's then took a 51-49 lead after five straight points from Zdancewicz, but the Bulldogs countred with the final five points of the quarter to take a 54-51 lead into the final frame.
The teams traded baskets for much of the fourth quarter but King's was unable to recapture the lead. King's came to within 62-59 with 7:15 to play after three straight points by Zdancewicz, but the Lady Monarchs would come no closer the rest of the way.
Zdancewicz led King's with 14 points while Fabian followed with 11 points and six rebounds. Feairheller added 10 points while Hoffman contributed nine points four rebounds and four blocks. Cayle Spencer registered eight points while Kasey Seitz had six points, five rebounds, and six assists.
McCollian paced DeSales with 18 points and 12 rebounds while Baird added 17 points with four three-pointers. Umbenhauer chipped in with nine points.
King's will return home Saturday with a 1:00 p.m. matchup against Eastern University. King's will host its annual Women's Alumni Game at 11:00 a.m. in Scandlon Gym.