Jan. 9, 2007

Box Score

LANCASTER, Pa. - Franklin & Marshall gave #20 Muhlenberg all that it could handle for 36 minutes, but the Diplomat women watched as the Mules pulled away down the stretch for a 75-64 win at the Mayser Center on Tuesday. Muhlenberg remained unscathed at 11-0, with a 6-0 mark in the Centennial. The Diplomats dropped to 3-8 (2-3 CC).

The Diplomats lead by as many as five points in the first half, but the Mules took a five-point lead into the break. An Emily Wright trey with 2:45 left in the first half gave Muhlenberg a 32-31 lead. Though F&M tied the score twice in the second half, the Dips were never able to reclaim the lead.

Brittany Braxton got the Diplomats within a possession at 63-60 with 3:45 left in the second half with a free throw. A quick four points from Lauren Boyle served as bookends to a missed Sarah Meisenberg jumper. Boyle, who scored a game-high 25 points, drew a foul from Meisenberg on the way to the basket on the second of the field goals and completed the three-point play to give her squad a 68-60 lead. A seven-of-nine team effort at the line sealed the victory for Muhlenberg.

The aggressive play of Meisenberg at the end took no luster off of an 18-point, 10 rebound performance. She hit all five of her shots from the line and recorded a pair of assists and a steal. Amanda Miceli scored 15 points to go along with her six rebounds. Joanna DiPallo also scored in double-figures with 14 points.

Aside from Boyle, the Mules had three players in double figures. Wright scored 14 and took away three Diplomat possessions. Meghan Courtney, who was four-for-four at the line in the final minutes, scored 13 points to go with nine rebounds and a pair of blocks. Abra Like scored 10 points and was credited with seven assists and a pair of thefts. Erin McSherry matched Meisenberg for the game-high in rebounds with ten.

Franklin & Marshall returns to action on Thursday in Chestertown, Maryland, where the Diplomats will travel to take on the Washington College Shorewomen. Tip-off for the opening game of the Centennial double-dip is set for 6:00 p.m. That game will be followed by the men's game featuring the same schools.