AMHERST, N.Y. – Senior Vandell Andrade (Cranston, R.I.) scored seven of her game-high 19 points in the decisive fourth quarter to lead Le Moyne College to a 74-58 victory over Daemen College in women's basketball action here today. It marked the 2015-16 home opener for Daemen, which dropped to 2-2 on the year. Le Moyne snapped a four-game losing streak and improved to 2-4.
Andrade, who also totaled 13 rebounds, four assists and two steals, helped the Dolphins outscore the Wildcats 24-5 during the final quarter. Sophomore forward Courtney Webster (Doylestown, Pa.) helped the Le Moyne cause with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while junior guard Ailayia Demand (Watervliet, N.Y.) added 13 points.
Junior Leah McDonell (North Tonawanda, N.Y./Cardinal O'Hara) and sophomore Taylor Heinold (Hamburg, N.Y./Immaculata) both scored 16 points to pace the host Wildcats, while sophomore Sarah Saba (Lancaster, N.Y./Lancaster) added 12 points and nine rebounds.
Daemen connected on its first four field goals and opened up a 10-0 lead following a three-point play by McDonell just 2:17 into the game. Le Moyne chipped away at the lead and eventually cut it to two points, 15-13, following a three-pointer by sophomore Ellie Leszyk (Horseheads, N.Y.) with 2:46 left in the quarter. The teams traded baskets the rest of the quarter and Daemen took an 18-17 lead into the second quarter.
Daemen took a 23-19 lead following a layup by junior Natalie Galus (Hamburg, N.Y./Frontier) early in the second quarter, but the Dolphins responded with a 9-2 run that gave the visitors a 28-25 lead. A putback by Webster with 4:39 left before halftime capped the run. Daemen later cut the lead to a point, 31-30, following a three-pointer by Heinold two minutes later, but Le Moyne scored the next four points and the Dolphins took a 37-32 lead into intermission.
Saba, who sat most of the first half with three personal fouls, sparked a strong third quarter for the Wildcats. Daemen connected on 8-of-15 shots during the stanza and Saba's eight points helped the hosts outscore the Dolphins 21-13 during the third. Daemen opened the quarter with a 12-4 spurt and a three-point play by Saba with 4:00 left in the frame gave the Wildcats a 47-43 lead. Daemen later took a six-point lead 51-45 following a fast-break layup by McDonell with just under three minutes left in the quarter, and the hosts took 53-50 lead into the final quarter.
Le Moyne opened the fourth quarter with 10 unanswered points that turned a three-point deficit into a seven-point lead (60-53) midway through the final frame. Daemen halted the run following a three-pointer by senior Raeann Stilwell (Cheektowaga, N.Y./St. Mary's of Lancaster), but the Dolphins regained control with a layup by Andrade and a three-pointer by senior Lauren Salzbrenner (Sheboygan, Wis.) for a 65-56 lead with 2:18 remaining. Daemen came no closer than seven points down the stretch.
Daemen shot 35-percent (19-55) from the field overall and canned 6-of-25 three-point attempts. Le Moyne shot 40-percent (26-65) overall and was 6-of-19 from downtown. The Dolphins posted a 46-36 edge in total rebounds, and the visitors hauled in 20 offensive rebounds which led to a commanding 29-8 advantage in second-chance points.
Daemen is idle until Dec. 12 when it hosts Edinboro University in a non league game.
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