ANNVILLE, Pa. (Nov. 30, 2016) – The Widener University women's basketball team fell to Lebanon Valley by a 79-62 decision in the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth opener for both schools on Wednesday evening at Sorrentino Gymnasium.
 
The Pride shot an ice cold 25 percent from the floor in the opening quarter and found themselves trailing by twin figures early after converting only one of their eight field goal attempts. After junior Allison Gallagher (Souderton, Pa.) nailed a 3-pointer at the 9:18 mark to give Widener a brief 3-2 edge, the Dutchmen responded by embarking on a 16-2 run. Caroline Scarff scored five points and capped the stretch with a good jumper before a Lexie Lantz putback ballooned the margin to 27-9 with under a minute remaining. The hosts would end the quarter leading by 15.
 
Lebanon Valley (3-3, MAC Commonwealth 1-0) continued to pound the ball inside and built its advantage up to 18 when Jennifer Eck found Lantz for a layup to make it 37-19 with 4:11 on the clock. Widener found some success with the long ball and got a second trifecta from junior Nikki Petri (Congers, N.Y.) to bring the deficit down to 15, but the Dutchwomen got two free throws from Morgan Bamberger at the other end on a non-shooting foul and carried a 41-25 advantage into the recess.
 
Widener, however, came out stronger in the second half and was able to chip away at the deficit while the Dutchmen began struggling to hit their shots. Freshman Madison Ireland (Garnet Valley, Pa.) dialed in from long distance, and Gallagher then drove in for a layup in transition to make it an 11-point game and prompt a timeout with six minutes to go. Sophomore Emily Hardy (Lewisberry, Pa.) then fought through traffic down the baseline to convert an old-fashioned 3-point play to bring the margin down to single digits by the end of the quarter.
 
The Pride's momentum carried over into the fourth, as freshman Devan Rimmer (Perkasie, Pa.) made a pair of free throws and Gallagher finished a 3-point play at the line to make it just a six-point game at 55-49 with 7:53 left. But despite the valiant effort to come back, the visitors would not be able to come closer the rest of the way. Lantz pushed the lead back up to twin figures at the midway point of the quarter and Rebecca Evans made charity shots down the stretch to allow the Dutchmen to survive and earn the 17-point win.
 
Lantz led the Lebanon Valley attack and finished the game with 20 points to go along with 12 rebounds, including nine on the offensive end. Becky Evans contributed 19 points and eight assists, while Hilary Yoh and Bamberger added 10 points apiece.
 
Gallagher led all scorers for Widener and finished with 14 points. Ireland registered 13 points and three steals, and Hardy had a team-leading eight boards.
 
Widener (2-3, MAC Commonwealth 0-1) will regroup and return to the Schwartz Center to host Stevenson on Saturday, Dec. 3 at 1:00 p.m.