51³Ô¹ÏÍø

'xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = 'urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags' />BETHLEHEM, PA. ‘ The 51³Ô¹ÏÍø women’s basketball team knocked of Lehigh on Sunday 73-62 to move into a tie for first-place in the Patriot League.  Senior Malissa Burke (E. Grand Rapids, Mich.) led the way with 20 points, a career-high six steals, and a season-high seven assists in the contest.'xml:namespace prefix = o ns = 'urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office' />

51³Ô¹ÏÍø used an 11-point scoring run ignited by five-straight points from Milaina Lagzdins (Burlington, Ont.) and capped by two three-pointers from Burke (Traverse City, Mich.) to pull out to an early 16-8 lead in the first half.

The Mountain Hawks regained their composure thanks to three-straight baskets from forward Jessica DePalo and tied the game at 18 with 7:33 left to play in the first.  The two teams swapped baskets for the remainder of the half and Lehigh came away with a slight 32-31 lead at the break.

Lagzdins surpassed the 500 career rebounds mark with eight first-half boards while Burke led the Raiders on the scoreboard with 10 points.  DePalo paced the Mountain Hawks with 14 first-half points.  The Raiders shot 48 percent from the field in the first narrowly edging Lehigh with a mark of 46.2 percent. 

51³Ô¹ÏÍø knocked down four-of-nine shots from behind the arc and kept Lehigh from attempting a single three-pointer.  The Mountain Hawks were solid from the free throw line sinking eight-of-nine shots. 

The Raiders opened the second half with a seven-point surge to take a 38-32 lead less than two minutes into the action.  Lehigh struggled to within one at the 16 minute mark but 51³Ô¹ÏÍø retained the lead with four straight baskets to control the game 50-41 with 14:07 remaining.

Lehigh came within one again with just under six minutes to play on a three-pointer from Sara Ellis and tied it up on two foul shots from Adrienne Blount at 5:34.  Those baskets would be the Mountain Hawks last of the contest as the Raiders exploded with 11 unanswered points to take home their fourth straight victory 73-62.

Burke’s 20 points was a team-high and moved her into eighth place on 51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s all-time scoring list with 1, 279. Lagzdins tallied her second double-double in as many games with 14 points and 14 rebounds.  Leandra Fuller (Harrisburg, Pa.) had 10 points and tied 51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s record of 104 career blocked shots with three on the afternoon. 

Emily Braseth (E. Grand Rapids, Mich.) contributed 16 points and five assists to the effort.  With four rebounds in the game Braseth also eclipsed the 300 career rebounds mark.   Chigozie Ozor (Ann Arbor, Mich.) had a career-high seven assists and came away with three steals.

DePalo paced the Mountain Hawks with 24 points and six rebounds.  Callan was the only other Lehigh player in double-figures with 10 points.

51³Ô¹ÏÍø improves to 13-7 on the season and 5-2 in the Patriot League, while Lehigh falls to 8-12 on the season and 5-2 in league play.  The Raider women are back in action on Sat., Feb. 7 as they face Lafayette in Patriot League play on 51³Ô¹ÏÍø’s own Cotterell Court at 1 p.m.