Box Score

YORK, Pa. - The Franklin & Marshall women's basketball team had four players in double figures and shot 87 percent from the free-throw line to defeat North Park 79-51 in the semifinals of the 2009 Hampton Inn Coaches vs. Cancer Classic hosted by York College on Saturday.

Sarah Meisenberg scored eight of her game-high 13 points in the opening stanza to help the Diplomats (4-4) take a 38-23 lead at halftime and roll into the championship game tomorrow at 2 p.m. F&M will take on the winner of  the second semifinal between York and Buffalo State.

Amanda Miceli went 6-for-6 from the charity stripe to finish with 11 points, while Miriam Marcis and Alison Menna added 10 points apiece.

The Vikings (1-7) had four players in double digits, equaling 42 out of their 51 points. LaRae Kostreva recorded a double-double with team highs of 12 points and 11 boards. Danielle Bradley, Larisa Coldebella and Amanda Phillips each tallied 10 points.

Bradley scored six of her 10 points in the first four minutes of the game to give North Park its first and only lead of the game at 8-5. F&M quickly turned it around, getting seven straight points from Meisenberg to take a 12-8 lead that would not relinquish and eventually turning into a double-digit advantage with 5:18 left in the half.

Miceli and Menna each made a pair of free-throws and Allison Bauer made a triple to push the lead to 19-13 with 8:04 on the clock. Another two free throws by Miceli and a layup by Menna got the Diplomats to an 11-point edge, while Marcis scored six points in the final 1:32 for a 38-23 lead at intermission.

Although the first five points belonged to the Vikings to open the second half, F&M got two layups from Cara Landolfi off assists from Miceli to not let North Park back in the game.

With the Diplomats ahead 60-42 with 8:14 remaining, Bauer, Miceli and Beth Holt each drained a three-pointer and Casey Downie made a jumper for a 26-point lead.