LIU Post (4-3, 2-1 ECC)  40-35—75

BROOKVILLE, N.Y. – Junior Chelsea Williams (Copiague, N.Y.) scored 14 of her game-high 19 points in the first half to lead LIU Post to a 75-56 victory over Daemen College here tonight in East Coast Conference women's basketball action.

LIU Post, which was voted first in the preseason ECC poll, improved to 4-3 overall and 2-1 in the league. Daemen, a first-year member of the league, remained winless in conference play (0-2) and dropped to 2-5 overall.

Williams, who entered the game ranked second among the league's scoring leaders (19.8 ppg.) connected on 6-of-10 shots and also registered four assists and two steals. Senior Shayna Gatling (Baldwin, N.Y.) helped the LIU Post cause with 17 points, seven rebounds and three steals, while senior Kiki Sears (Hampton, Va.) added 12 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Freshman Natalie Galus (Hamburg, N.Y./Frontier) paced the Wildcats, as she connected on 8-of-15 shots and totaled a team-high 18 points. It marked the second-straight game and third time this season Galus has led the team in points. She also totaled seven rebounds, four blocks and two steals. Senior guard Lindsay Stoddard (Limestone, N.Y./Allegany-Limestone) added nine points, nine rebounds, six assists and two steals, while freshman Leah McDonell (North Tonawanda, N.Y./Cardinal O'Hara) registered 11 points and two steals. Sophomore Raeann Stilwell (Cheektowaga, N.Y./St. Mary's of Lancaster) chipped in 10 points.

Daemen held a 15-12 lead midway through the first half when a three-pointer by Williams sparked the hosts on a 16-2 run. Williams scored 10 points during the spurt. A jumper by Sears with 5:40 left before halftime capped the run and gave the Pioneers a 28-17 lead.  The Wildcats answered with a 12-5 run over the next four minutes that cut the lead to four points, 33-29. A conventional three-point play by McDonell with 1:48 left before the break capped the spurt. LIU Post took a 40-33 lead into the break.

Daemen scored the first two points of the second half, but the Pioneers netted the next six and later opened up a 19-point lead, 56-37, following a steal by Nyasia Davis (Rahway, N.J.) and layup by Sears with 15:23 left to play. The hosts later took their largest lead of the game, 69-39, following a layup by senior Nijah LaCourt (Bronx, N.Y.) midway through the second half. Daemen came no closer than 17 points (73-56) the rest of the way.

The Wildcats shot 50-percent (14-of-28) in the first half, but connected on just 31-percent (10-of-32) of their shots over the final 20 minutes. Daemen also turned the ball over 22 times, which LIU Post converted into 29 points. The Pioneers also corralled 21 offensive rebounds, which they turned into 17 second-chance points. LIU Post finished with a commanding 51-28 edge in total rebounds.

Daemen will remain on Long Island and play at New York Institute of Technology Sunday at noon.

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