Center Valley, PA (February 21, 2019) - The #12/15 DeSales University women's basketball team finished the game on a 14-0 run to pull away for a 71-56 win over King's College in the MAC Freedom semifinals on Thursday evening in Billera Hall.

The Basics/Notes

• Final Score: DeSales - 71, King's - 56
• Records: DeSales (24-2 overall); King's (12-14 overall)
• DeSales will host Misericordia University in the MAC Freedom Championship game on Saturday with tip set for 1:00 pm.
• It is the fourth straight year the Bulldogs advance to the MAC Freedom title game.
• The 24 wins are now tied for the third most in team history and tied for the second most under head coach Fred Richter.

How It Happened

• DeSales was outstanding over the first five minutes of the game taking a 12-0 lead before King's hits its first shot at the 4:21 mark, a 3 from Lindsey Dippre.
• The lead fell to just four before the Bulldogs pushed it back to nine after one quarter of play.
• The Monarchs scored the first eight points of the second quarter but DeSales rallied to reclaim and eight-point advantage late in the half before settling for a 36-30 lead at the break.
• King's tied the game with two 3's to open the second-half before DeSales answered with four straight points.
• KC kept knocking on the door and finally took its first lead of the game at the 2:51 mark of the third quarter on a jumper from Mackenzie Yori.
• DSU scored the final four points of the quarter to lead 51-48 after three quarters of play.
• Tied at 52, King's scored to take a 54-52 lead before two free throws from junior Molly Jansco tied the game.
• After one freebie from freshman Averi Jordan, and both teams exchanging free throws, DeSales led 57-56 with 3:56 to go.
• Senior Morgan Birmelin stepped up with a big driving layup on DSU's next possession and consecutive defensive stops saw sophomore Isabel Caruso get fouled after a rebound and a steal and she sank all four free throws giving the Bulldogs a 63-56 advantage.
• Two more defensive stops and Caruso came up large again with a pull-up jumper and the Bulldogs never looked back from there finishing the game on a 14-0 run to post the final tally.

Top Bulldog Performers

• Caruso was incredible finishing with a career-high tying 14 points and adding four steals.
• Birmelin led all scorers with 19 points and totaled five steals and three blocks.
• Senior Bridget Walsh finished with a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds, while also blocking three shots.
• Jordan added 11 points and eight boards.

For the Foes

• Dippre led King's with 16 points off the bench.
• Yori added 15 points and eight rebounds
• Alexis Steeber finished with 10 points and nine rebounds, including the 1,000th point of her career.
• Rebecca Prociak had eight points and 10 rebounds.

Inside the Box Score

• DeSales won this game on the defensive side of the ball holding King's to just 26.7 percent shooting.
• The Bulldogs only hit 32.3 percent from the field themselves.
• DSU controlled the paint out-scoring King's, 30-14 and had a 16-0 edge in fast break points.