Saturday, January 8
Stabler Arena
07:00 PM

Lehigh University

72
vs
51

American

Mountain Hawks roll past American in league opener

1/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball

Bethlehem, PA – Lehigh sophomore Sara Ellis tied her career high with 26 points and five three point field goals and senior Mary Hynoski notched a double-double as the Mountain Hawks rolled to a 72-51 victory over visiting American in the Patriot League opener for both squads.  Lehigh runs its overall record to 9-4 (1-0 Patriot) with the win, its seventh straight in league openers.  The Eagles are now 5-8 (0-1 P.L.) following their sixth straight setback.

 

In the first half, the Mountain Hawks were plagued by poor shooting early on.  Lehigh sank just two-of-ten field goal attempts over the game’s first seven minutes as the Eagles built a 14-6 advantage.  However, Lehigh began to find its shooting touch over the next nine minutes, mounting a 20-9 run to take a 26-23 lead.  The Mountain Hawks outscored American 10-4 in the final five minutes of the half to take a 36-27 lead into halftime. 

 

Ellis scored 11 first half points, while Jessica DePalo added ten points and three blocked shots.  Mary Hynoski continued to control the glass, as the team’s leading rebounder pulled down five first half boards and added eight points.  The Lehigh defense held the Eagles to just 31% field goal shooting, while the Mountain Hawks overcame their slow offensive start to shoot 47% over the game’s first 20 minutes.

 

Lehigh controlled the second stanza from start to finish.  The Mountain Hawks shot 48 percent in the half in stretching their lead to as many as 22 in the half.

 

Ellis finished the game with 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting.  Jessica DePalo added 16 points and six boards in the win.  Hynoski recorded her second double-double of the season, this time with 12 points and a personal best 13 rebounds.  Adrienne Blount poured in nine points and added five rebounds in the win off the bench.  Freshman Claire Sullivan matched her career high with six assists.

 

“We were able to overcome our slow start and get comfortable out here tonight,” Hynoski said following the win.  “I thought Sara and Jess did a tremendous job shooting and our bench was terrific.”

 

For the game, the Mountain Hawks shot 47% while holding the Eagles to a paltry 32% shooting.  Lehigh shot an uncharacteristically poor 61% from the charity stripe in the win.

 

Lehigh returns to the court on Wednesday, when the Mountain Hawks pay a visit to rival Lafayette.  Game time is set for 5:30 from the Kirby Sports Center in Easton, with radio coverage on WLVR-FM and lehighsports.com getting underway at 5:15.

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