PHILADELPHIA – The La Salle women's basketball team (5-6) picked up its first win over the Drexel Dragons (5-2) since Dec. 5, 2009 with an all-around team effort Wednesday night inside Tom Gola Arena, 58-55.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The first five minutes of play was nearly even with the Explorers up 9-8 at the media stoppage with 5:00 remaining in the first frame. La Salle bumped its lead up a point after the final buzzer of the period, 17-15.
• La Salle scored the first six points of the second stanza with a pair of triples from sophomore Claire Jacobs, both assisted by senior Kate Hill. Drexel responded with six unanswered to return the deficit to two points at 23-21. The Dragons claimed a two-point advantage up to the half to notch things at 29 apiece.
• Drexel buckled down defensively and regain the lead, 34-32, in the third heading into the break at 4:49. The visitors outpaced the Blue & Gold 5-3 over that span. La Salle chipped the gap by one after it outscored Drexel 8-7 to end the third quarter.
• The Explorers regained the lead with the first bucket of the final frame by senior Haleigh Hill and held it until the Dragons connected on a three with 5:28 left in the game. La Salle quickly went back on top with a long ball from K. Hill and never looked back. Drexel had an opportunity to tie the game with a pair of free throws with eight seconds remaining, but could only convert one. With the Explorers up 56-55 and eight seconds left, La Salle went to the line and missed a pair, however sophomore Claire Jacobs corralled the offensive board on the second miss. Jacobs then drained a pair from the stripe after being fouled and put the margin to three. After a timeout the Dragons launched a three with one second left but didn't connect.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:

• Jacobs led all scorers with 17 points and added five rebounds.
• Senior Deja King dropped a season high 12 points on 4-of-8 shooting, including 4-of-5 from deep.
• K. Hill recorded another double digit performance with 10 points. She added seven assists to just one turnover to her stat line.
• H. Hill corralled a career best 12 rebounds to lead all players and scored eight points.
• Junior Molly Masciantonio also chipped in eight points and grabbed two steals.
• La Salle shot 39.6% from the floor, 35.7% from deep, and 46.2% from the line.

GAME NOTES:

• La Salle's last home victory over Drexel came back on Nov. 22, 2008.
• Jacobs eclipsed 15 points for the seventh time in her nine games played this season. She's also registered 10+ in 18 of her last 20 outings.
• This is the second game in a row in which King scored in double figures.

UP NEXT:
La Salle will travel to St. Bonaventure for a Friday matinee against the Bonnies. Tipoff is slated for noon.