(boxscore)

2/23/08 -- Junior Beth Dessart Mager (Newtown Square, PA) had career highs of 27 points and 13 rebounds for Widener, which clinched a spot in the Commonwealth Conference Tournament with a 63-53 victory over Elizabethtown at Schwartz Center.

In a winner-take-all game for the number four seed, Widener (11-14, 3-7 CC) punched its conference-tournament ticket for the fifth time in six seasons and fourth under fifth-year coach Alisa DiBonaventura. The Pride next Wednesday visit fifth-ranked Messiah in the semifinals at 7:00 pm.

Widener took over in the second half, outscoring Elizabethtown 44-31 by shooting 57 percent (17-of-30) from the field. Dessart Mager poured in 18 points in that span, making all eight shots, and junior Megan Sipple (Boothwyn, PA) added six.

The Pride scored seven straight points to turn a four-point lead into a 50-39 cushion with 6:32 left. Freshman Laura Carson (Downingtown, PA) netted four points in that run.

Dessart Mager, who recorded her first career double-double, shot 11-of-20 from the field and 3-of-5 from 3-point range. Her previous bests were 23 points at Wilkes on January 6, 2007 and 11 rebounds against Case Western Reserve on December 31, 2007.

Sipple poured in 11 points and tied a career high with eight rebounds for the Pride, who shot 40 percent (23-of-58) overall. Becky Tyler (Wynnewood, PA) had eight points and six rebounds with fellow sophomore Rayne Reber (Pottstown, PA) adding six points.

Audrey Hitz had 13 points and 11 rebounds, Jenn Montague scored 11 points and Megan Quinn added 10 for the Blue Jays (11-14, 2-8), who shot only 27 percent (18-of-66) overall. A key for the Pride was holding standout shooter Erin Walton to just four points on 1-of-13 shooting.

In the other semifinal Wednesday, second-seeded Albright hosts No. 3 seed Lebanon Valley.