Both teams struggled early with Moravian scoring the first point of the game on a free throw by senior forward Kelly Applegate (Easton, PA/Wilson HS) at the 17:35 mark of the first half. The teams were tied at 5-5 with 15:49 remaining until halftime when Widener went on a 9-0 run to build at 14-5 lead. The Pride would continue to build its lead, eventually to 24 points, 34-10, with 2:18 remaining in the first half. Moravian scored the final four points of the half to head to the locker room trailing by 20 points, 34-14.
The Greyhounds made just five of 33 field goal attempts (15.2 percent) in the first half, and Moravian missed all six of its three-point attempts and was four of six at the foul line. On the other hand, Widener had the hot hand in the first half, connecting on 13 of 26 field goal attempts, four of seven three-pointers and four of six free throws. Both teams had 22 rebounds and committed 13 turnovers in the first half.
The Pride came out of the locker room and pushed the lead back to 24 points at 38-14 with 18:02 remaining in the game. Moravian would start on its comeback at the 16:51 mark when freshman forward Kirsty Stearns (East Norwich, NY/Oyster Bay HS) hit a pair of free throws to cut into the 24-point deficit. Widener still had a 19-point lead with 11:58 remaining, up 46-27; however, Moravian went on an 18-1 run to pull within two points at 47-45 with 6:10 left on the clock.
The Pride pushed the lead back to six points, 51-45 with 5:29 remaining before the Greyhounds eventually tied the contest at 53-53 with 2:20 left in the game. Moravian finally retook the lead on a pair of free throws by freshman guard Katie Harrison (Cold Spring Harbor, NY/Cold Spring Harbor HS) with 1:48 remaining, but Widener answered and tied the contest at 55-55 on a jumper by sophomore guard Beth Dessart Mager (Newtown Square, PA/Cardinal O’Hara HS) with 1:23 remaining. Harrison connected on a jumper with 58 seconds left to put Moravian in the lead for good, and Stearns hit a free throw with eight seconds left to secure the win.
The Greyhounds finished the game with a 44-17 run over the final 16:51. Moravian shot much better in the second half, making 15 of 33 field goal attempts (45.5 percent), two of four three-pointers and 12 of 16 free throws (75.0 percent), while the Pride struggled in the second half, making just seven of 24 field goals, one of eight three-pointers and six of nine free throws. Widener did have a 42-39 advantage in rebounds in the game, but the Pride committed 17 second half turnovers to just seven miscues for Moravian after the break.
Applegate led all scorers and three Moravian players in double figures with 17 points. Applegate, who missed all of her field goal attempts in the first half and had just three points in the first 20 minutes of the game, also recorded 11 rebounds for her second straight double-double and third of the season. During the game, Applegate also moved up two spots to tenth in school history with 1,153 career points, and she has 533 career rebounds. Applegate added four steals and two assists in the victory.
Harrison had a career high 15 points for the Greyhounds with ten in the second half, and Harrison had a team high five steals to go with three rebounds and a blocked shot. Stearns also reached double figures for Moravian with all 12 of her points coming in the second half. Stearns also recorded her first career double-double with 11 rebounds, and she had four steals and a blocked shot.
Freshman guard Jessica Foran (Annandale, NJ/Rutgers Prep HS) netted nine points for the Greyhounds, the first game of her collegiate career she failed to reach double figures, and Foran contributed four steals, three assists and three rebounds. Sophomore forward Cody Fedorishen (Nazareth, PA/Allentown Central Catholic HS) grabbed five rebounds for Moravian while freshman guard Amanda Brown (Schuylkill Haven, PA/Schuylkill Haven HS) had three points, three assists and two steals.
Sophomore forward Kelley Guarrer (Shamong, NJ/Shawnee HS) led Widener with 15 points, nine rebounds and three assists before fouling out while sophomore guard Megan Sipple (Boothwyn, PA/Chichester Senior HS) had 12 points and four assists for the Pride. Junior forward/center Stephanie Bixby (Boothwyn, PA/Chichester HS) had 11 rebounds, seven points and three steals for Widener while Dessart Mager had nine points and five rebound. Junior guard/forward Dominique Kidd (Upper Darby, PA/Cardinal O’Hara HS) added seven points and four rebounds for the Pride.
Newspaper Box Score Widener University vs Moravian College 11/28/06 7:00 PM at Johnston Hall, Bethlehem, PA At Johnston Hall, Bethlehem, PA MORAVIAN COLLEGE 58, WIDENER UNIVERSITY 55 WIDENER UNIVERSITY (3-2, 0-1 Common.) Guarrera, Kelley 7-13 1-2 15; Sipple, Megan 3-6 4-4 12; Dessart Mager, Beth 4-9 0-0 9; Kidd, Dominique 2-9 2-2 7; Bixby, Stephanie 2-7 3-6 7; Reber, Rayne 2-4 0-0 5; Tyler, Becky 0-1 0-0 0; Isler, Lindsey 0-1 0-1 0. Totals 20-50 10-15 55. MORAVIAN COLLEGE (3-1, 1-0 Common.) Kelly Applegate 4-14 9-11 17; Kate Harrison 6-11 3-5 15; Kirsty Stearns 4-11 3-4 12; Jessica Foran 4-14 1-2 9; Amanda Brown 1-4 0-0 3; Alyssa Bisci 1-2 0-0 2; Katie Rizman 0-4 0-0 0; Cody Fedorishen 0-3 0-0 0; La'Toya Blake 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 20-66 16-22 58. Widener University............ 34 21 - 55 Moravian College.............. 14 44 - 58 3-point goals-Widener University 5-15 (Sipple, Megan 2-4; Kidd, Dominique 1-5; Dessart Mager, Beth 1-3; Reber, Rayne 1-3), Moravian College 2-10 (Kirsty Stearns 1-1; Amanda Brown 1-3; Alyssa Bisci 0-1; Katie Rizman 0-3; Kate Harrison 0-1; Kelly Applegate 0-1). Fouled out--Widener University-Guarrera, Kelley, Moravian College-None. Rebounds-Widener University 42 (Bixby, Stephanie 11), Moravian College 39 (Kelly Applegate 11; Kirsty Stearns 11). Assists-Widener University 15 (Sipple, Megan 4), Moravian College 12 (Jessica Foran 3; Amanda Brown 3). Total fouls-Widener University 19, Moravian College 12. A-225