The Moravian College women's basketball team captured its 2010-11 home opener with a 66-46 win over DeSales University behind a career high 30 points from senior forward Amy Heffner in non-conference action Tuesday evening in Johnston Hall.
DeSales jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a jumper from sophomore forward/center Colleen Gavin just 18 seconds into the game, but that would be the only lead of the night for the Bulldogs. Heffner hit a three-pointer 29 seconds later to give Moravian a 3-2 lead. DeSales' junior forward Cherelle Simmons tied the contest at 7-7 with a jumper in the lane at 16:08 before the Greyhounds took the lead for good on a lay-up from junior forward Alexandra Blair at 15:33.
Heffner hit a pair of free throws to put Moravian up 15-7 with 13:22 left in the first half but a five and a half minute scoring drought for the Greyhounds allowed DeSales to close within three points, 15-12 on a jumper from freshman guard Megan Montchyk. Heffner would put the lead in double figures for the first tim3, 31-19, on a three-pointer with 2:15 to go in the opening half. A jumper from Blair would push the lead to 33-19 before DeSales scored the final four points of the half to head to the locker room trailing Moravian 33-23.
The Greyhounds shot the ball well in the opening 20 minutes, making 12-of-26 field goal attempts (46.2 percent), two-of-five three-pointers and seven-of-eight free throws. Heffner had her season scoring average of 19 points in the first half. DeSales had a 19-18 edge in rebounds and committed 16 turnovers while Moravian had 17 miscues. The Bulldogs struggled shooting the ball in the opening half, connecting on eight-of-30 from the floor (26.7 percent), one-of-six three-pointers and six-of-eight free throws.
Freshman forward Laura Jordan hit a pair of free throws to start the second half for Moravian for a 35-23 lead, but DeSales went on an 11-3 run to pull within four points, 38-34, after a jumper from senior guard Lori Lidlow; however, that would be as close as the Bulldogs would get. During the opening seven minutes of the second half, Moravian had seven turnovers before having just two over the next nine minutes while rebuilding its lead.
The Greyhounds eventually pushed the lead back to double digits, 50-40, on a pair of free throws from junior guard Hilary Murray with 10:32 to play as part of a 9-0 run that pushed Moravian's advantage to 55-40 on a lay-up from freshman guard Katie O'Rourke with 8:41 remaining. The Greyhounds' lead would remain in double figures the rest of the way with a pair of Murray free throws setting the final score with 29 seconds to go.
Moravian continued to shoot the ball well in the second half, making nine-of-20 field goal attempts (45.0 percent) and 15-of-20 free throws. The Greyhounds, who missed all eight of their three-point attempts in the second half, finished the game with a 41-39 advantage in rebounds despite DeSales holding an 18-8 edge in offensive rebounds. Moravian also had 28 turnovers while the Bulldogs had 25. DeSales continued to have trouble shooting, connecting on just nine-of-35 field goal attempts (25.7 percent) and five-of-nine free throws after the intermission. The Bulldogs also missed all three of their three-point attempts in the second half.
Heffner had eight rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots to go with her game high 30 points while Blair contributed ten points, five rebounds and a career high tying seven blocked shots. Jordan pulled down a career best 11 rebounds and also had career highs of seven points, three steals and two assists for the Greyhounds while Murray added seven points and three assists. O'Rourke grabbed a career high ten boards for Moravian to go with six points and three steals, also career highs, and three assists while sophomore guard Amanda Kreuder had the Greyhounds' other six points with three steals and two rebounds. Freshman guard Alyssa Hann added three assists and two steals.
Lidlow led DeSales with 11 points while Simmons had a double-double with a game high 13 points and ten points to go with three steals and two blocked shots. Freshman guard Sondrine Glovas added six points and three rebounds while Gavin contributed five points, nine rebounds and two steals for the Bulldgons. Montchyk had four points, three assists and two boards off of the bench.