Box Score

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Moravian hit its final six free throws, including two with 19 seconds left, and the Greyhounds defeated Lebanon Valley 57-52 in the Commonwealth Conference women's basketball semifinals Wednesday evening at Johnston Hall.

With the win, Moravian (18-8) advances to the Commonwealth Conference championship game, where it will meet Widener University, a 69-64 upset winner over No. 5 Messiah College in the other semifinal Wednesday night.

Lebanon Valley (20-5) will now await a possible bid in the ECAC South tournament.

Moravian, which also defeated the Valley in last year's Commonwealth semifinals, was led by sophomore forward Stephanie Seaman and freshman guard Rachel Berlin, who scored a game-high 12 points apiece. Junior center Jennifer Northcott (Horsham, Pa./Hatboro-Horsham) paced LVC with 10 points and a game-high 14 rebounds as she recorded her 13th double-double of the season.

The Flying Dutchmen trailed just 55-52 with 19 ticks left before junior guard Jen Behagg hit the front end of a one-on-one foul shot opportunity. She went on to make the second to give the 'Hounds a 57-52 lead. LVC missed its final shot, and Moravian corralled the rebound to come away with the win.

Lebanon Valley had the defensive clamps on early, and held Moravian scoreless over the opening 7:50 while outscoring the 'Hounds 8-0. But Moravian answered with a 6-0 spurt of its own while holding the Valley to without a field goal for over six minutes. Junior guard Erin Eaby (Ephrata, Pa./Ephrata) ended the drought for LVC when she dropped in a layup with 9:06 left to make it 10-6 in favor of the Dutchmen.

Neither side led by more than four over the rest of the half. Moravian came all the way back to tie the game and take its first lead (15-14) when Behagg hit a pair of free throws with 3:18 left in the half. The Greyhounds would never trail the rest of the way.

A jumper from junior guard Carrie Lathrop (Landisville, Pa./Hempfield) with 20 seconds on the clock tied the game at 18 heading into the locker room.

Seaman led all players with eight points at the half. Moravian made just 16.0% (4-of-25) of its first-half shots but went 10-for-15 at the foul line. LVC also struggled from the field, shooting only 21.9% (7-for-32).

A jumper from Johnson with 17:40 left tied the game at 22, but Moravian slowly began to pull away. The 'Hounds saw their lead reach as much as seven on three occasions, the last coming after a free throw by Berlin with 11:05 left, making it 41-34. However, Northcott pulled LVC back into the game with six straight points to make it 41-40 with 8:44 to go. After Moravian pushed its lead back to five (45-40), LVC answered once again, as sophomore guard Min-Leigh Myers (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) hit a pair of free throws before freshman guard Allie Butler (Sellersville, Pa./Pennridge) nailed a jumper with 4:45 left to cut the lead back to one (45-44).

LVC still trailed by only one (49-48) after Butler converted another bucket with 3:17 remaining for her sixth straight point. But Moravian scored the next four points, and the Valley was unable to cut it to less than three the rest of the way. An Eaby jumper with 40 seconds left made it 55-52 before Behagg's game-clinching free throws.

Moravian shot just 28.8% for the game but scored 21 points on 29 shots from the foul line. LVC shot 46.2% in the second half to finish with a 32.8% mark for the game. The Valley shot a season-high 86.7% (13-of-15) at the foul line but committed a season-high 25 turnovers.

Junior forward Tamika Rogers (Baltimore, Md./Milford Academy) snared 12 rebounds and blocked three shots for the Valley while Eaby and Johnson scored eight points apiece. Junior guard Crystal Gibson (Randallstown, Md./Randallstown) added seven points and three assists, as she pulled to within four of the Lebanon Valley career assists record of 379 held by Chrissy Henise '98.

Northcott's 14 boards brings her to within 23 rebounds of Carla Myers' '91 LVC career record of 817.

[Photo - Junior center Jennifer Northcott, who recorded 10 points and 14 rebounds against Moravian on Wednesday]

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