Green Terror downs Muhlenberg 72-56 in title game

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Ashley Lyles (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) led four McDaniel players in double figures with 15 to lead McDaniel to a 72-56 victory over No. 22 Muhlenberg in the 2010 Centennial Conference (CC) women's basketball championship game on Sunday.

Ali Moreland (Davidsonville, Md./South River) added 13 points while Sally Grace (Catonsville, Md./Mount de Sales) chipped in 12 points for the Green Terror (20-6), who won 20 games for sixth time and first since 2006-07.

Whitney Snoops (Millersville, Md./Archbishop Spauding) added a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

With its fourth conference title - and first since 2005 - McDaniel earns the CC's automatic bid into the NCAA tournament, which begins on Friday. The Green Terror will learn its opponent on Monday.

Kelly McKeon led the Mules (21-5) with 14 points. Alexandra Berlin added 12 points while Alexandra Chili chipped in 11.

Trailing by 12 early in the second half, Muhlenberg pulled even at 48-all with 8:54 to play.

However, a Katelyn Fischer (Reisterstown, Md./Seton Keough) layup re-established the lead for McDaniel and the team stayed in front the rest of the way.

A Chili layup made it a 56-54 game with 5:11 to play but Grace responded with her fourth 3-pointer, sparking a 16-0 run that gave the Green Terror a 72-54 lead.

McDaniel converted 11 of its 12 free-throw attempts during the span, finishing the game 19-for-23 from the charity stripe.

Muhlenberg built a 6-2 lead before six straight Green Terror points gave the team its first lead.

Katelyn O'Malley countered to even the game at 8-all with 11:03 to play in the first half but 22-10 stretch gave McDaniel a 30-18 lead late in the period en route to a 32-20 halftime advantage.

McDaniel finished with a 50-32 advantage on the glass and held Muhlenberg to just one made 3-pointer in 24 attempts. The Mules entered the weekend with 138 made triples.

-30-