(box score)
Widener could not hold off a scoring onslaught in the final 7 1/2 minutes and suffered its first Commonwealth Conference loss of the season, 78-66 at Albright in Reading, PA.
Widener (12-3, 3-1 CC), which held a 45-37 lead with 15:07 remaining, got two free throws from sophomore Kate Dellinger (Wrightsville, PA) for a 54-51 cushion with 7:34 to go.
But Albright (5-7, 1-3) took control with a 16-3 run over 5 1/2 minutes for a 67-57 lead with 2:06 left. Jessica McGinness scored six points in that spurt and Rory Yerkes added four.
The Lady Lions kept the Pride around with a slew of missed free throws, but got it together by hitting 11-for-14 from the stripe over the final 1:29. Yerkes went 5-for-6 in that stretch and McGinness knocked down all four of her attempts.
Dellinger had 24 points and 11 rebounds for her third double-double in the last four games for the Pride, who shot only 22 percent (10-of-45) from the field in the second half and 28 percent (23-of-83) overall. Francesca Lee (Hainesport, NJ) notched 15 points and 12 rebounds for her third double-double in the last five outings and fellow sophomore Vanessa Hejnas (Delran, NJ) hauled in 12 rebounds.
Meghan Boyle closed with 19 points and eight rebounds, McGinness scored 16 points, Marilynn McMonagle had 13 and 11 rebounds with Kari Ludy adding 10 points for Albright, which outscored Widener 52-35 in the second half by shooting 52 percent (17-of-33) from the field.
Dellinger played a key role early, scoring all 10 of her first-half points during a 26-9 run over 11 minutes for a 29-20 Widener lead with 3:22 remaining. The Pride held a 31-26 halftime cushion by holding the Lady Lions to 36 percent shooting (12-of-33).
Widener on Saturday hosts No. 15 Lebanon Valley, starting at 1:00 pm.
