Box Score

ANNVILLE, Pa. – Freshman guard Cassie Moore scored a season-high 14 points and was one of five Flying Dutchmen to score eight or more points as Lebanon Valley shook off a sluggish start to defeat Franklin & Marshall College 58-52 in non-conference women’s basketball action Saturday afternoon at the LVC Gymnasium.

After falling into a 14-point hole during the first half, Lebanon Valley (4-6) rallied for victory in the first meeting between the two teams in four years.

Junior forward Brittany Braxton paced Franklin & Marshall (3-7) with game-highs of 17 points and a gymnasium-record 18 rebounds.

Moore also pulled down a team- and season-high seven rebounds for LVC while sophomore forward Megan Bish, playing in just her second game of the season, posted 10 points and six rebounds in 23 minutes off the bench.

Senior forward Monica Johnson added eight points and six rebounds before fouling out with 2:35 left after just 21 minutes of action. Junior guard Donna Geiger and senior guard Allie Butler each contributed eight points.

Butler also connected on her 100th career 3-pointer, becoming only the fourth player in school history to reach the milestone.

Sophomore guard Sarah Meisenberg added six points, seven rebounds, and five assists for the Diplomats.

Lebanon Valley struggled to find its shot in the early on, going 2-for-16 to open the game. In the meantime, Franklin & Marshall was building a 16-4 lead following a 12-0 run, capped by a Joanna DiPallo lay-up with 10:40 left in the opening half.

The Diplomats stretched their lead to as much as 14 (21-7) after a Miriam Marcis three-pointer with 9:10 to go, but LVC climbed back into the game late in the half. With F&M leading 25-14, the Dutchmen used a 9-1 run to pull to within three (26-23) after a lay-up from Moore with 2:20 to go. Braxton dropped in a lay-up of her own just before the buzzer to give F&M a 30-25 halftime advantage.

The Valley continued its surge in the second half, opening the stanza on a 9-2 run to take its first lead of the game (34-32) on a steal and lay-up from Moore four minutes into the period. After one tie and four lead changes, the Dutchmen went ahead to stay when Geiger splashed in a 3 with 11:09 on the clock, putting LVC on top 41-39.

A conventional 3-point play from junior guard Jenna Gambino gave the Dutchmen a seven-point (52-45) lead with 4:21 left but F&M kept it close. Braxton made the second of two foul shots with 3:06 to go and sophomore guard Amanda Miceli nailed a pair of free throws with 2:35 remaining to make it a four-point game (52-48). The Diplomats had a chance to cut the gap to one, but Gambino rebounded a missed 3-pointer by Miceli with 2:17 left.

Franklin & Marshall was forced to foul down the stretch, but the Dips were unable to take advantage as LVC finished just 3-for-8 at the charity stripe over the final 1:02. The Valley never trailed by less than five the rest of the way, as F&M managed only four free throws in the final 1:37.

The Diplomats were guilty of 26 turnovers while LVC turned it over 20 times. After shooting 45.8% in the opening half, F&M connected on just 23.8% of their shots in the second half to finish with a 35.6% mark.

Lebanon Valley shots 47.8% in the second half after shooting 36.7% in the opening stanza. LVC shot 41.5% for the game.

The Dutchmen return to action on Monday, when they visit Lincoln University in another non-conference game.

[Photo - Sophomore forward Megan Bish, who had 10 points and six rebounds in LVC's 58-52 win over Franklin & Marshall on Saturday]

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