DECEMBER 7, 2017

KING'S WOMEN POST 58-53 WIN OVER GWYNEDD MERCY, FIRST HOME WIN OVER GRIFFINS SINCE 2004-05 CAMPAIGN

WILKES-BARRE — Mackenzie Yori scored a game-high 18 points, including the go-ahead bucket with 1:51 remaining, as the King's College women's basketball team posted a 58-53 victory over visiting Gwynedd Mercy University Thursday night in Scandlon Gymnasium.

With the win, King's improved to 5-2 on the season and matched the team's victory total from last season when the Lady Monarchs suffered through an injury-plagued 5-19 mark.  The Griffins, meanwhile, slipped to 4-3. The win was also King's first at home against Gwynedd Mercy since December 8, 2004.

Both teams struggled offensively in the first half as King's led 9-8 at the end of the first quarter, but Gwynedd Mercy posted a 14-12 advantage in the second half to take a 22-21 lead at the break.

In the third quarter, King's opened with a 7-0 run thanks to a jumper by Olivia Hoffman, a three-pointer from Yori, and an inside basket by Rebecca Prociak to take a 28-22 led with 8:21 on the clock. King's would maintain its lead despite the Griffins closing to within one point on three occasions before the Lady Monarch pushed the score to 40-33 after a driving lay-up from Alexis Steeber and an inside basket from Prociak with 2:07 remaining in the period.  

But Gwynedd went on a 7-0 run to tie the game at 40-40 after Olivia Roseman canned a pair of foul shots with 0:08 left.  But King's got a big bucket from Rachael DeTore who scored on a driving lay-up with 0:02 to play in the period as the Lady Monarchs took a 42-40 lead into the fourth quarter.

The Griffins started the period with a 6-0 spurt to reclaim the lead at 46-42 with 8:18 to play. King's managed to tie the score at 48-48 when Steeber converted a short jumper with  5:05 on the clock.

After a Gwynedd Mercy jumper from Susan Bossler put the Griffins on top 50-48, Yori buried a three-pointer to give King's a 51-50 lead at the 3:48 mark.  But Gwynned countered with a Bianca Adams three-pointer to go back ahead 53-51 with 2:13 to go.

After a Griffin timeout, Yori canned a second straight three-pointer with 1:51 on the clock to give the Lady Monarchs a 54-53 lead it would not relinquish again.  

After a Gwynedd miss, Olivia Hoffman scored down low for King's to push the lead to 56-53 with 0:47 to play. Gwynedd had an opportunity to tie the game but three straight misses from long range were off the mark and Yori was eventually fouled with 0:05 remaining. The sophomore point-guard calmly made both charity tosses to seal the victory.

Yori's 18 points came on the strength of 6-of-13 shooting from the floor, including 4-of-7 from three-point range. Prociak followed with 12 points and 11 rebounds to register her second double-double of the season while Steeber posted 10 points and five rebounds. Hoffman overcame early foul trouble and a mid-game injury that limited her to 19 minutes and managed to post six points, nine rebounds, seven blocked shots, and four assists. Lindsey Dippre chipped in with six points while Kayla Dillinger dished out four assists.

Gwynedd was paced by Bossler with 16 points while Juliana Hoisington followed with 14 points.