Center Valley, PA (February 21, 2018) - The DeSales University women's basketball team turned in one of its best performances of the season opening up 16-1 lead to start the game and never looked back in a dominating 64-44 win over King's College in the MAC Freedom postseason tournament semifinals on Wednesday evening in Billera Hall.

The Bulldogs (16-10) advance to the MAC Freedom championship game for the third straight season.  DSU will travel to the FDU-Florham with start time for the title game rematch from each of the past two seasons set for 1:00 pm.

DeSales dominated from the very start on Wednesday scoring the first 11 points of the game and opened up a 16-1 lead thru the first five minutes.  Junior Leandra Sterner (Northampton, PA) had three 3's and senior Kaitlin Kelly (Newtown, PA) had one during the hot start.

The Bulldogs defense did not allow the Monarchs (15-11 overall) to score a field goal until a three from Olivia Hoffman at the 3:15 mark as DSU held a 22-7 lead after one quarter.

DSU got into foul trouble in the second quarter as all three starting guards were saddled with two fouls as King's climbed to within eight points late in the half before a lay-up just seconds before the buzzer from junior Bridget Walsh (Dunmore, PA) gave the hosts a 32-21 halftime cushion.

DeSales broke the game open in the third quarter out-scoring King's, 23-9, and building a 25-point lead (55-30) after three quarters of play on a three from freshman Isabel Caruso (Gibbsboro, NJ) and DSU never looked back from there in the fourth.

Sterner finished with a game-high 17 points and junior Morgan Birmelin (Honesdale, PA) had 16 points, six rebounds, and eight assists in the win.  Walsh was outstanding once again pulling down a career-high 18 rebounds and blocking four shots.

King's got a double-double from Hoffman with 15 points and 12 boards, while Alexis Steeber finished with 14 points.

DSU held KC to just 24.6 percent shooting and into 18 turnovers leading to a 22-7 advantage in points off miscues.  The Bulldogs also dominated the glass, out-rebounding the Monarchs, 56-43.