March 4, 2003

Box Score

Garden City, N.Y. - The No. 4 seed Adelphi women's basketball team saw their hopes of a repeat trip to the NYCAC semi-finals end after suffering a heart-breaking 81-79 loss against No. 5 seed Philadelphia, Tuesday night at Woodruff Hall. The Panthers drop to 18-10, while the Lady Rams improve to 19-9.

Junior Kerri Kirschbaum poured in 12 of her 17 team-high points in the second half. Sophomore Jesse Dlabola and junior Jaime Douglas each had 12 points. Freshman Carlyshia Hurdle added 11 points and a team-high seven rebounds.

The Lady Rams opened on a quick 11-3 run within the first three minutes of the contest. Spurred by a steal from Dlabola, one of eight in the game, and a field goal by Douglas, Adelphi rallied on a 10-2 run to tie the game, 13-13, at 14:33. After a lay-up by Philadelphia's Samara Speakes, Kirschbaum hit a three-pointer to give the Panthers their first lead, 16-15, at 13:39. The Panthers finished the half on a 24-15 run, to lead 40-30 at intermission.

Adelphi saw its lead grow to 15 points after a Dlabola three-pointer and a lay-up by sophomore Meranne Whitney. The Panthers held a comfortable ten point lead until about the eight minute mark. Philadelphia used a 10-1 run to close to within two points, 67-65, with 5:28 remaining. Adelphi scored the next five unanswered points to jump ahead ,72-65, at 4:04. A whopping four Adelphi players, including three of its five starters, fouled out in the last minutes of the game, allowing Philadelphia to take its first lead of the second half on a lay-up by Jean-Marie Reilly at 1:41. The lead changed hands four times in the final minute when senior Amber Butler put up a lay-up to tie the game, 79-79, with :13 on the clock. With three seconds on the remaining, Keisha King hit the jumper to seal the Lady Rams victory.

Jackie DeMarteleire led all players with 26 points and 12 rebounds. Speakes added 15 points.

Philadelphia will advance to the NYCAC semi-finals to be held this Friday on the campus of C.W. Post. The Lady Rams face the winner of the No.1/No.8 seed contest. For results and standings, visit the conference website at www.nycac.net.