WESTMINSTER, Md. – McDaniel staved off a late Juniata rally to record a 59-53 victory in the championship game of the 2015 McDaniel Tipoff Tournament on Sunday.

Lindsey Nichols (Wilmington, Del./St. Mark's) tallied 15 points to lead four players in double figures for the Green Terror (2-0) while also earning a spot on the all-tournament team. Karli Zeps (Reisterstown, Md./Seton Keough), who added 13 points and nine rebounds, joined Nichols on the all-tournament team.

Natalie Hagar made the all-tournament team for the Eagles (1-1), chipping in seven points and 16 rebounds in the title game. Rachael Anstine was the only player in double figures for the visitors with 11 points.

Tied at 3-all after Nichols and Anstine traded triples, Nichols hit her second 3-pointer to give McDaniel a 6-3 advantage with 7:15 to play in the first quarter.

Four points from Sarah Bach (Manchester, Md./Manchester Valley) helped the Green Terror stretch the lead to as large at 15-4 with 4:08 on the clock.

Another Anstine 3-pointer sparked an 11-1 rally that closed the deficit to 16-15 with 1:16 showing.

Trailing 20-17 at the end of the period, Dani Atkinson opened the second-quarter scoring 1:20 into the session, sparking a 6-0 burst over the next minute and a half that gave Juniata its only lead of the game at 23-20.

Baskets from Bach and Brittney Davis (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) coupled with a 3-pointer and free throw from Jasmine Smith (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic Institute) gave McDaniel a 28-23 lead at the half.

Hager closed the deficit to 29-28 just 2:30 into the third quarter before Halle Burgess (Ashton, Md./Good Counsel) hit a 3-pointer and Zeps added a steal-and-layup to push the lead back to six with 4:19 to play.

Trialing 46-40 with 7:27 to play in the fourth quarter, Kelly and Katy Leamer each hit 3-pointers around two Zeps free throws to make it a 48-46 game with 5:17 remaining.

Two free throws and a 3-pointer from Nichols pushed the lead back to seven.

A Davis trey made it a 56-47 game with 3:06 showing before Katy Leamer and Atkinson each converted buckets to make it a five-point game but Juniata could get no closer.

Davis hit one free throw with 27.3 seconds to play before Anstine scored on the break five seconds later to make it a four-point game.

Two Davis free throws down the stretch sealed the win.

Davis finished with 12 points and eight assists while Smith added 10 points, four assists and three steals. Bach finished with six points, nine rebounds and three steals.

McDaniel returns to action at the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic hosted by York (Pa.) on Saturday, taking on Worcester State at 7:30 p.m. in the opening round.

-30-