Box Score

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The fabulous careers of four Lebanon Valley College senior women’s basketball players came to an end after third-seeded LVC lost 71-54 to second-seeded DeSales Friday evening at Moravian in the ECAC Southern Region tournament semifinals.

Lebanon Valley closed out the season at 17-9 while DeSales (22-7) advances to the tournament championship to face the winner of the other semifinal winner between fourth-seeded Pitt-Greensburg and top-seeded Moravian.

LVC seniors Erin Eaby, Crystal Gibson, Jennifer Northcott, and Tamika Rogers finished with a stellar 82-26 record, qualified for the Commonwealth Conference and ECAC Southern Region playoffs four years in a row, and set a number of school records during their stay at the Valley.

Alyssa Antolick finished with a game-high 20 points to lead DeSales while Eaby paced LVC with 12 points.

The Bulldogs never trailed after outscoring Lebanon Valley 23-7 to start the game. The Flying Dutchmen answered with a 14-6 run, capped by a three-pointer from sophomore guard Allie Butler to cut the gap to 29-21. LVC trailed just 32-24 at halftime despite committing 19 turnovers in the opening stanza.

Lebanon Valley continued to chip away in the second half and a lay-up from Rogers with 14:22 left made it a two-point game (41-37). A jumper by freshman guard Donna Geiger made it 41-39, but that’s when the LVC would go cold. DeSales held the Valley scoreless over a six-and-a-half minute span while outscoring the Dutchmen 10-0 to take a 51-39 lead with 8:51 left.

Eaby nailed a jumper with 4:07 to reduce the deficit into single digits (55-46), but the Bulldogs scored the next six points and pulled away the down the stretch.

Holly Liebl added 16 points and 11 assists for DeSales while Jen Netwall had 13 points and seven assists. Kirby Lutz recorded 11 points and eight rebounds.

Butler finished with 11 points and a career-high seven rebounds for Lebanon Valley while Rogers had 10 points and six rebounds. Sophomore forward Monica Johnson pulled down 10 rebounds.

[Photo - Senior forward Tamika Rogers, who had 10 points and six rebounds in her final game for Lebanon Valley]

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