Dec. 20, 2009
Box Score
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ - Ashley Gale came one point shy of registering her first career double-double, but still filled the stat sheet as she helped La Salle Women's Basketball pick up a 55-54 victory at Rider Sunday afternoon in non-conference action.
Gale was one of three Explorers to score nine points, while she also had team-highs with 12 rebounds, a career-high, four steals, and five assists - tying with Danielle Callahan.
Tara Lapetina also scored nine points as did Danielle Mickiewicz, while Morgan Robertson added eight. It was the first time La Salle did not have a player score at least 10 points in a contest since a 64-38 loss to Dayton on February 3, 2000.
Due to incomplete records before 1982, it can not be determined the last time La Salle won a game without a player in double figures, but it had not happened since the 1982-83 season. The win did however improve the Explorers to 8-0 all-time versus the Broncs.
Gale opened the game with the contest's first five points on a three and a short jumper and when Robertson scored at the 17:01 mark of the first, La Salle led 7-4.
However, over the next six minutes, all the Explorers could manage was three points from the foul line - including two makes from Chelsea Conner.
The Broncs did not take advantage, though, as they were only able to take a two-point lead on a pair of Amanda Sepulveda free throws at the 12:06 mark of the first.
The teams traded baskets and the lead over the next five minutes before Cintella Spotwood scored on a lay-up to knot the game at 17 with 7:23 left before the break.
La Salle rattled off eight straight points, as Antonia Gale scored on a lay-up in between a pair of Jamie Walsh three-point baskets to put the Explorers up 25-17 with 5:57 left in the first.
Again, the Broncs would hold La Salle without a basket for a significant stretch - this time five minutes - while they scored six points to cut their deficit to a bucket on a Carleigh Brown lay-up at the 1:20 mark.
The Explorers took a five-point advantage into intermission after Lapetina drained a three with 49 ticks left in the half, and then she increased the team's lead to six with another three with 16:59 left in the game.
Rider (2-8) responded with 6-1 run to make it a one-point contest, but quickly fell behind by five. They used an 8-1 run capped by a Sepulveda three with 9:29 left which gave her team a two-point lead at 39-37.
From that point until the end of the game, the teams traded the lead eight times and the score was knotted twice, the last time at 50-50 with 3:37 left.
Caitlin Bopp, who tallied a game-high 12 points and grabbed a game-high 15 rebounds, scored on a lay-up at the 2:58 mark to give the Broncs its last lead at 52-50.
Lapetina connected on her third three of the game a minute later to put the Explorers up one and with 1:06 left, Mickiewicz, who scored all of her points in the second half, increased La Salle's lead to three at 55-52.
Brown pulled the Broncs to within one 13 seconds later, and then gave Rider the last possession with a steal, her fourth of the game, with 19 seconds left in the contest.
The home team called timeout to set up a final play, but could only manage an off-balance three-point shot by Sepulveda as the game buzzer sounded, which came up short.
La Salle (3-7) has one day off before hosting its first of four Philadelphia Big 5 games at Tom Gola Arena. The Explorers will welcome Villanova on Tuesday with a 1 PM start.
