COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus College women's basketball team's struggles against Muhlenberg continued Tuesday night, when the Mules led by double digits for almost the entirety of the final three quarters of a 70-51 Centennial Conference decision inside Helfferich Hall.
Senior Libby Lannon poured in a career-high 18 points and added six rebounds for Ursinus (8-10, 6-7), but the Bears were once again thwarted by a high-powered Muhlenberg squad that has won the last two CC titles. Rachel Plotke hit five 3-pointers, Chelsea Gary went for 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Brandi Vallely finished with 14 points to go with seven assists, five rebounds, and five steals for the Mules (11-6, 8-4), who completed the season sweep and defeated Ursinus for the 18th straight time.
Lannon was 6 for 9 from the field and 6 for 7 at the free-throw line, doing all of her damage in the first three quarters. Freshman Lydia Konstanzer collected 10 points and was matched by sophomore Brielle Clarke, who hit double figures for the fifth time this season. Junior Rachel Guy totaled eight points, and freshman Marisa DiLeo had five.
Ursinus struggled to a 29.6-percent performance from the field (16 for 54) and made only two of their 12 attempts from long distance. The Mules, on the other hand, were 7 of 12 from 3-point range thanks to a 5-for-9 effort from Plotke, who hit four of them in the first half. Muhlenberg owned a 42-30 advantage on the glass, leading to 32 paint points.
Maggie Zerbe just posted 11 points and eight rebounds for the Mules, with Sara Dilly chipping in nine points and seven boards. Plotke had seven rebounds and Gary blocked three shots.
The Bears came firing out of the gates, knocking down their first three shots – one apiece from Lannon, Guy, and Konstanzer – and held early leads of 6-2 and 8-7 before Muhlenberg began to flex its muscles midway through the first quarter. A bucket by Zerbe kick-started a 9-0 spurt that put the Mules ahead for good late in the opening frame as Ursinus went almost five minutes without a point.
Leading 19-12 after one, Muhlenberg used a pair of 3-pointers by Plotke and a driving lay-up by Vallely to spread the margin out to 27-14, and Plotke's fourth triple of the first half staked the visitors to the first of two 16-point leads at 32-16 with 5:32 left in the half. Though Ursinus held the Mules to just one field goal until the break, the Bears were unable to generate much on their offensive end and went into intermission facing a 36-23 deficit.
Eyeing a comeback, Ursinus was unable to get closer than 12 in the second half.
The women's basketball team entertains first-place Haverford on Thursday, January 26.
