CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – The Lebanon Valley Women's Basketball team completed a season sweep of DeSales University with a 50-42 victory over the Bulldogs on Saturday at Billera Hall in Center Valley.

The Dutchmen (17-6, 10-2 MAC Freedom) held the Bulldogs (13-10, 6-6 MAC Freedom) to just 18 points and 25.8 percent shooting in the first half. DeSales scored the first bucket of the game to briefly hold a lead. Kailey Eckhart knocked down three and two possessions later Riley Hevelow scored on a driving layup to make it a 5-2 game. After a DSU bucket Eckhart knocked down another three to push the lead to four. LVC's lead was five after a pair of Fernandez buckets in the paint when Hevelow knocked down a jumper. The Bulldogs were able to cut the lead to five in the final minute before Fernandez hit one of two free throws to give LVC a 15-9 advantage.

The first two minutes of the second quarter was scoreless until Brielle Reidinger scored on a layup off a pass from Hevelow. DeSales answered at the other end and the Dutchmen countered with a Hevelow three after a Reidinger offensive rebound and assist. The teams went almost three minutes without a basket as Fernandez stopped the drought with a pair of made shots at the line. A pair of buckets in the paint got the Bulldogs back within seven before Jordan Zimmerman knocked down a three and then a jumper to push the lead back up to 12 at 27-15. The teams traded scores over the final two minutes as the Dutchmen took a 29-18 lead into halftime.

Reidinger put back her own miss while being fouled for the first two points of the second half. After making the free throw, DeSales responded with a bucket at the other end of the court. The teams traded buckets and LVC still led by 14 at 36-22 with 6:41 on the clock. The Bulldog used a 8-0 run in just over a minute span to cut the deficit down to six at 36-30. Hevelow halted the run with a bucket and then Zimmerman scored in the paint to push the lead back up to 10. DeSales knocked down five of six free throws over the next three minutes and held the Dutchmen off the board to cut the lead in half. Fernandez hit a three off a pass from Hevelow and the Bulldogs hit the front end of two free throws to make it 43-36. Reindinger knocked down two shots at the line and the Bulldogs hit a jumper at the buzzer to end the quarter.

Scoring was at a premium in the fourth quarter as the teams combined for nine points. LVC scored the first five points of the quarter while holding the bulldogs scoreless for the first seven minutes. Abbie Reed knocked down a jumper early in the quarter and was the only points until Eckhart scored on a driving layup with just under four to play. Redinger scored LVC's final point on a free throw with 3:15 on the clock. The Bulldogs scored a layup on their next possession and then had another layup in the final seconds to close out the scoring.

Inside the Box

• The Dutchmen had four scorers in double figures for the second time this week.
• Hevelow led the team in scoring with 11 points whilem pulling down four rebounds and dishing out three assists.
• Reidinger recorded a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. She also dished out a team-high four assists.
• Fernandez was just shy of a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds. The guard added three blocks and two assists.
• Eckhart had 10 points and three rebounds with two made threes.
• Zimmerman added seven points and three rebounds.
• The Dutchmen were dominant in the paint with a 43-26 rebounding advantage and scored 18 points in the paint.
• LVC held DeSales to 42 points and 27.3 percent shooting. It is the 10th time this year holding an opponent under 30 percent from the floor and the 12th time holding the opposition to 45 or less points.
• The win keeps the Dutchmen atop the conference standings heading into the final week of the season. LVC is tied with Arcadia art 10-2 with Stevens a game back at 9-3. The Bulldogs are fourth at 6-6.

Up Next
LVC will close out the regular with a pair of home games this week starting on Tuesday evening. The Dutchmen will take on King's College at 6 p.m. inside Sorrentino Gymnasium.

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