Jan. 12, 2005

Box Score

EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Patriot League Co-Preseason Player of the Year Jessica DePalo scored 26 points and Lehigh withstood a late Lafayette surge in a 58-48 win on Wednesday.

DePalo scored 12 of Lehigh's first 17 points as the Mountain Hawks (10-4 overall, 2-0 Patriot League) took charge early. They led by 10, 13-3, less than eight minutes in before a 12-5 Lafayette spurt cut the margin to three, 18-15. Lehigh, however, scored the final seven points of the half to take a 25-15 lead into the locker room.

The Lehigh lead grew to as many as 17 early in the second half before the Leopards began chipping away. An 8-1 burst cut the margin to eight, 40-32, and swung the momentum in Lafayette's favor. Lafayette (2-12, 0-2) again drew to within seven in the final two minutes, but Lehigh hit all six of its free throws in the final 50 seconds to seal the win.

After hitting just 6-of-24 shots in the first half, Lafayette rebounded to knock down 13-of-30 in the second half.

DePalo, the Patriot League's leading scorer at 19.1 points per game entering the contest, finished 11-of-23 from the floor. She was the lone Mountain Hawk in double figures. Mary Hynoski scored just four points, but collected 13 rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

Vanessa Van De Venter just missed her third career double-double, finishing with 14 points and nine rebounds. She was joined in double figures by Lindsay Myers, who tallied 12 points and seven boards.

Lafayette returns to action on Saturday, hosting American at 1 p.m.