ALLENTOWN, Pa. – The Ursinus College women's basketball team fell into a huge hole early and was unable to dig out of it in an 82-65 Centennial Conference setback at two-time defending champion Muhlenberg.
Freshman Lydia Konstanzer continued her sensational play with a game-high 17 points and nine rebounds for Ursinus (4-5, 3-3), which registered a season best in scoring. Freshman Marisa DiLeo made three 3-pointers on the way to a career-high 14 points and sophomore Brielle Clarke added 10 of her own for a personal best.
Chelsea Gary had 11 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks for Muhlenberg (7-2, 5-1), which was ranked No. 17 in Division III in the preseason. Brandi Vallely handed out 10 assists as the Mules assisted on 25 of their 31 made field goals, shooting 50.0 percent from the field (31 of 62) and beyond the arc (7 for 14).
Konstanzer, who finished 7 of 9 from the field, was the only Bear to find the scoring column in the first quarter, after which the visitors found themselves down 27-8. Muhlenberg scored the game's first six points and ripped off a 10-0 run to close the frame. The Mules led by as many as 28 in stretching their winning streak against Ursinus to 17.
Konstanzer made all four of her first-quarter field-goal attempts, closing the week with an average of 24.5 points and 9.5 rebounds after a 32-point, 10-board effort against Swarthmore on Wednesday.
DiLeo, who scored nine points in the fourth quarter alone, made half of her six 3-point attempts as the Bears connected on a season-high eight triples. Sophomore guard Kaci McNeave, who tossed in a long heave at the second-quarter buzzer, and senior Carla Maccaroni, who scored her first points of the season, each knocked down two.
Senior Libby Lannon had seven points, seven rebounds, and three steals for Ursinus, while Clarke added three swipes and a pair of assists to her first double-digit scoring effort. Konstanzer hauled in six offensive rebounds to help the Bears hold a 38-35 advantage on the backboards and a 17-10 edge in second-chance points.
Muhlenberg, which put 13 players into the scoring column, scored 22 points off turnovers and got 44 points from its bench.
The women's basketball team heads to Daytona Beach for the Land of Magic Classic, where the Bears will take on Maine Maritime at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 28.