ST DAVIDS, Pa.- The visiting DeSales University Bulldogs used a 12-0 run late in the second half to break open a close game and emerge with a 78-66 win in a women' basketball contest between two teams whose play-off seeding was already established. Eastern (17-8, 8-6 Freedom) honored seniors Bekah Roland and Lori Wileczek prior to the game.

The two teams battled through a close first period. DeSales finished the half  on a 12-7 run to take a 36-31 lead to the break. Sondrine Glovas had nine points to lead the balanced DeSales attack, and Bekah Roland had eight to pace the Eagles. The Eastern defense limited DeSales to only 35 percent shooting, but the guests grabbed 12 offensive rebounds and six fewer turnovers to get nine more shots and five more free throw chance.

Meghan Nowak scored only five points in ten minutes through the opening half. The freshman forward made her presence felt immediately in the second half with seven points in the first four minutes. Despite being hampered by foul trouble, the Freedom Conference scoring leader scored 20 of her game-high 25 after the intermission.

The Bulldogs' Hannah Smith nailed an open 3-pointer from the top of the key to help DeSales built an eight point edge with 14 minutes to play. Nowak answered with seven straight points and Roland scored in transition to put the Eagles up 49-48 with just under 12 minutes remaining.

The Bulldogs answered with a short baseline jumper from Colleen Gavin on a slick pass from Taylor Greene. Gavin, one of five Bulldogs to finish in double-figures for the afternoon, finished with ten.

DeSales seemed poised to push the lead to three, but Kaitlyn Dougherty ripped a ball free and found Gina DiDomenico in transition. DiDomenico made a quick move to lose her defender and put the Eagles up 51-50. DiDomenico then split a pair of free throws for a two-point edge. 

The Bulldogs responded and held a four point edge when Nowak picked up her fourth foul with 6:37 on the clock. Though Nowak only sat for five total possessions, the damage had been done as DeSales led by nine when she returned to the line-up, and they built their lead up to 70-54 on a three-point play from Alex Suk. The Bulldogs managed the game the rest of the way to hold on for the win.

Glovas finished with a team-high 21 for DeSales and Hannah Smith recorded a career-best 14. Nowak made all nine of her free-throws and finished with a game-high 25. It is the third time in the last seven games that she has made nine foul shots. She has made 46-of-51 free throws over the past eight contests. Roland and sophomore guard Katie Lincoln each had 10 points, and Dougherty added nine. 

Eastern, the fourth seed in the Freedom Conference Championships, will travel to top-seeded King's for a 7:00 pm game on Wednesday. DeSales (15-10, 10-4), the third seed, will start their postseason journey at Misericordia.

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