FEBRUARY 25, 2004
BOB ZIADIE
KING'S WOMEN UPSET DESALES TO REACH FREEDOM
CONFERENCE TITLE GAME
CENTER VALLEY -- The King's College women's
basketball team avenged a pair of regular-season losses to stun
second-seeded and 20th ranked DeSales University in the MAC Freedom
Conference Tournament semi-finals Wednesday in Center Valley.
With the win, third-seeded King's (19-7) advances to
the conference championship game where it will face top-seeded and
fifth-ranked rival Scranton which routed fourth-seeded Delaware Valley
96-64. Second-seeded DeSales fell to 21-5.
King's, which lost to DeSales 62-50 and 82-61 in
their two previous meetings, handed the Bulldogs their first home loss of
the season. The win also marked the fifth time King's has defeated DeSales
in Center Valley.
Both teams struggled offensively in the first half
as King's took a 21-15 lead at the break. In the second half, however, the
Lady Monarchs shot 45.5 (10-22) percent from the field and attacked the
basket, drawing fouls. King's hit on 15-of-24 fouls shots in the second
stanza. The Lady Monarchs outscored DeSales 37-26 in the second half.
Beth Jordan led King's with 16 points while Jen
Wozniak followed with 11 points. Tiffini Varrasse added nine points, eight
assists, and four rebounds, while freshman Vienna Spitler contributed win
with eight points and seven rebounds. Kristin Yeasted Chipped in with six
points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
Alyssa Antolick led DeSales with 15 points and six
rebounds while Jen Rautzhan and Amy Yencho added 10 points each.
King's will look to win its second straight
conference title and its third in the past four years when it faces
Scranton Saturday at 7:00 p.m. in the John Long Center. It will mark the
first time the arch-rivals have ever played for the conference
championship.
