Women’s Basketball Defeats Messiah, 60-58, In Conference Semifinals

(boxscore)

Widener put forth a total team effort and came through in the clutch with sophomore Jennifer Egee (Ridley Park, PA) hitting two free throws with one second left to give her squad a 60-58 win over Messiah in the Commonwealth Conference semifinals in Grantham, PA.

Kate Dellinger (Wrightsville, PA) had a steal just a few seconds into the game followed about a minute later by a layup from fellow junior Lil Carney (Narberth, PA) to start the scoring. Less than two minutes later, Carney repeated in the paint for another two points and Messiah took its first time out.

The scoring started for the Falcons (21-5) with about 16 minutes remaining when Jordan Seiz turned a pass from Chelsea Danel into two points. Hannah Nichols, with an assist from Taylor Miller, closed the margin with a jumper for two points to make the score 5-4, in favor of Widener. Almost immediately after, Courtney Colella (Cinnaminson, NJ) sank the first of her eight points, and about 30 seconds later another two points in the paint for each team, scored by Colella and Emily Martz, brought the score to 9-6, with the Pride still in the lead.

Nicky Hess shot from the outside for three points to tie the game at 11, and followed with a steal and a layup from a fast break to take the lead 13-11. Widener was not about to let Messiah run away, however, when Carney sank a 3-pointer, with an assist from Colella, to allow the Pride (18-8) to take the lead again. A pair of free throws by Colella followed by a layup by freshman Ally Ferrucci (Vineland, NJ) gave Widener a 28-26 lead. Six free throws and two baskets for Messiah compared to Widener's two free throws and one field goal -- all by Ferrucci -- left the score 36-32 Messiah at the half.

With the second half underway Hess, with a pass from Dori Gyori, got the scoring started, giving Messiah a six-point lead. Carney fired back-to-back buckets, a 3-pointer followed by a two, that brought Widener back within three points, the score sitting 40-37. After a layup from Francesca Lee (Hainesport, NJ), Egee sank a 3-pointer to give the Pride the lead, 44-43, but Gyori swapped the lead in favor of Messiah with a layup off of a pass from Miller. Egee turned the score over once again with a layup of her own, followed by a steal and another layup, making the score 48-45 and forcing Messiah into a 30-second timeout with nine minutes remaining. Egee sank two more 3-pointers, one off of a feed from Dellinger and the other from Lindsay Pepino (Oceanside, NY), to make the score 55-47.

With just two minutes remaining, Messiah began to come back, but Widener was not letting up easy. Gyori sank a layup with 1:30 remaining to bring the game to a 58-58 draw, making this anybody's game. Carney missed a jumper for the Pride and Messiah's Kira Maier committed a loose-ball foul with one second left, giving Egee the opportunity to sink two free throws for a 60-58 margin. A steal by Vanessa Hejnas (Delran, NJ) ran out the clock and clinched the win for the Pride, making this the third time in nine years they have beaten Messiah in the conference semifinals. The first two times occurred in 2004 and 2009.

Widener moves onto the conference final for the third time in school history to play 20th-ranked and top-seeded Lebanon Valley on Saturday at 2:00 pm in Annville, PA. The Pride are 2-0 in the final with wins in 2004 and 2009.

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