Saturday, February 26
Stabler Arena
7:30:00 PM
Lehigh University
83
vs
55
Holy Cross
Seniors dominate on Senior Night victory over Holy Cross
2/27/2011 2:57:00 AM | Women's Basketball
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The Lehigh women's basketball team (20-9, 10-4) concluded the 2010-11 regular season with an 83-55 dominating win over the Holy Cross Crusaders on Senior Night on Saturday. With the victory, Lehigh earned a share of the Patriot League regular season title. The Mountain Hawks have now been crowned regular season league champs for three-straight years.
Lehigh had three players that posted double-doubles for what is believed to be the first time in program history. Senior Courtney Dentler finished off her fine regular season with team-high 21 points and 13 rebounds. Senior Erica Prosser added 19 points and tied her career-high of 10 assists. Junior Alexa Williams tallied 13 points and 11 rebounds. This was also the second instance this season where Lehigh had two or more players post a double-double in a game.
"The effort here tonight was tremendous," said Lehigh head coach Sue Troyan. "Holy Cross put in a great effort early. We did a great job contesting their perimeter shots and we hit our shots when we needed to."
Kristen Dalton also highlighted Senior Night with a nine-point, four assist and three rebound effort. Junior Emily Gratch tallied nine points and two steals as well for Lehigh.
"I am really proud of this group of seniors" said Troyan. "They have meant so much to this program and I couldn't have asked for a better group than this. They really have worked hard, they have represented our program and this University well."
The Mountain Hawks jumped out to an 8-5 lead to start the game. Prosser started the game with the first five points on a three-pointer and the layup. Lehigh then led 15-10, but Holy Cross answered back with 10-0 run and would get its biggest lead of the game, 20-15.
Dalton and Dentler helped even up the game at 26 when they hit back-to-back field goals. From there, the Mountain Hawks began to pull away. Prosser hit a three to put the Brown and White up by seven, with 4:08 to go in the first stanza. Sophomore Kelly Peterson continued her hot shooting when she nailed a three to put Lehigh up 39-30 to end the first half.
Lehigh came out and did twice the damage in the second half, as it built its lead to 52-37 when Dentler hit a jumper in the paint. Two Gratch free throws and a jumper by Prosser put the Mountain Hawks up by 19 with 14:03 remaining.
With 8:21 to go, the Mountain Hawks stretched their lead to 26 when Dentler executed on two free throws to give the Mountain Hawks 69-43 with 7:21 remaining. Freshman Hilary Weaver knocked down a three at the end of the game, to give Lehigh its biggest lead of the day at 31 points.
With the victory, Lehigh will have the No. 2 seed in the Patriot League tournament. The Mountain Hawks will host the Lafayette Leopards in the quarterfinals next Saturday at 7 p.m. in Stabler Arena.
Tickets are now on sale for the Patriot League quarterfinal game at $6 per ticket for the general public and just $3 for students of any age or children. Tickets can be purchased online at Lehighsports.com, by phone or in person at Grace Hall (10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Fri.)
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