(boxscore)

2/2/08 -- Widener only trailed ninth-ranked Messiah by five at halftime, but could not overcome a second-half onslaught in a 67-43 Commonwealth Conference loss at Schwartz Center.

Widener (9-10, 1-3 CC) only found itself down 28-23 at the intermission by holding Messiah to 36 percent shooting (9-of-25) and no 3-pointers. Junior Megan Sipple (Boothwyn, PA) scored eight points in the first half and sophomore Becky Tyler (Wynnewood, PA) added six and six rebounds.

But the Falcons (17-2, 4-0 CC) outscored the Pride, 39-20, in the second half and cruised to their fourth straight win. Messiah netted 15 straight points over seven minutes bridging both halves for a 41-23 lead with 14:46 remaining, thanks to seven points from Gwen Avery.

Nikki Lobach scored 13 points, Avery netted 11 and Silalei Shani contributed 10 and Avery for the Falcons, who shot 57 percent (16-of-28) from the floor in the second half and 47 percent (25-of-53) overall.

Messiah had a 36-18 edge in points in the paint and its bench outscored Widener's, 31-11.

Sipple poured in 11 points and Tyler closed with 11 and eight rebounds for the Pride, who shot only 26 percent (14-of-54) overall.

Widener hits the road Tuesday against Elizabethtown as part of a doubleheader with the men's team. The women's game starts at 6:00 pm, followed by the men's contest at 8:00 pm.