RELEASE DATE: 2/11/06

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mountaineers hang on to complete first season sweep of West Chester since 1983

MANSFIELD – Jessica Uhrich recorded a double-double and four other Mountaineers scored in double figures as Mansfield held out for the 84-78 win over West Chester Saturday at Decker Gymnasium on Senior Day.

"Today was something special," said head coach Ruth Hermansen. "It was Senior Day and the seniors showed their character this afternoon. I've very happy for them. We shot well, keep pressuring them and pulled off a key win."

It may have been Senior Day, but Uhrich, a junior, continued her rebounding dominance, pulling down 19, including 16 defensively, to go along with her 13 points. Sophomore Alicia Espigh led the Mountaineers with 17 points. Senior leaders for Mansfield were Alison Tagliaferri with 16 points, Becky Ayers with 15 points, and Tiffany Taylor with 13 points and a game-high five steals.

Offensively, the Mountaineers benefited from a solid shooting performance, hitting 54.4 percent of their shots from the floor and 19 of 27 from the free throw line.

The Mountaineers also shone on defense as they held the Rams to 39 percent shooting from the floor and forced 32 turnovers.

The Mountaineers and Rams kept the game close throughout the first half, knotting the score seven time in the opening frame. Mansfield extended its lead by as many as six in the first half on a pair of free throws by Ayers at the 7:34 mark. Tagliaferri hit a layup with 47 seconds left in the half to put her team up 33-30 at halftime.

West Chester managed to keep the game close in the opening minutes of the second half and took a two point lead when Elise McCloy hit a three-pointer at the 12:39 mark. Less than a minute and a half later, though, Mansfield freshman Emily Akins hit her only shot of the game and put the Mountaineers up for good at the 11:16 mark.

From there, Mansfield maintained their lead and stretched the margin to as much as 13 points at the 2:03 mark when Ayers hit a three-point shot. She hit three of five three-pointers in the game and was five of nine overall shooting.

The Rams tried to come back after that, hitting three of six three point shots as well as a lay up plus a foul shot in the final two minutes, but could only narrow Mansfield’s lead to four with 35 seconds remaining in the game.

Dominique Lewis and Amanda Vitzakovitch led the way for West Chester, scoring 29 and 15 points respectively. Lewis also pulled down 12 rebounds.

Prior to Saturday’s game, Mansfield University seniors were honored along with their families. Over the past four years, the seniors have contributed to 53 victories, the most of any senior class in school history. This year’s seniors include Tagliaferri, Taylor, Ayers, and Breanne Day.

With the win, the Mountaineers improve to 9-14 overall and 4-4 in the PSAC East. West Chester falls to 8-16 and 5-4 in conference play.

(photo by Gregory Orr) 

Newspaper Box Score

West Chester University vs Mansfield University

2/11/06 1:00 pm at Decker Gymnasium

At Decker Gymnasium

MANSFIELD UNIVERSITY 84, WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY 78

WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY (8-16 (5-4))LEWIS, Dominique 12-20 5-9 29; VITZAKOVITCH, Amanda 7-13 0-0 15; NORMAN, Alexis 5-12 1-2 14; McCLOY, Elise 4-15 0-0 10; BACHMAN, Casey 2-5 1-2 5; MILBOURNE, Shaneen 1-4 1-2 3; WINTERS, Natalie 1-9 0-2 2; ANDREWS, Catherine 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 32-82 8-17 78.

MANSFIELD UNIVERSITY (9-14 (4-4))ESPIGH, Alicia 7-14 2-2 17; TAGLIAFERRI, Alison 6-8 4-5 16; AYERS, Becky 5-9 2-2 15; TAYLOR, Tiffany 2-2 9-12 13; UHRICH, Jessica 6-14 1-3 13; BROOKS, Courtney 2-3 1-3 6; AKINS, Emily 1-1 0-0 2; HAFER, Mallory 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 30-55 19-27 84.

West Chester University.......   30   48  -   78

Mansfield University..........     33   51  -   84

3-point goals-West Chester University 6-22 (NORMAN, Alexis 3-6; McCLOY, Elise 2-6; VITZAKOVITCH, Amanda 1-1; WINTERS, Natalie 0-4; ANDREWS, Catherine 0-2; BACHMAN, Casey 0-3), Mansfield University 5-15 (AYERS, Becky 3-5; BROOKS, Courtney 1-2; ESPIGH, Alicia 1-5; HAFER, Mallory 0-3). Fouled out--West Chester University-WINTERS, Natalie, Mansfield University-None.

Rebounds-West Chester University 40 (LEWIS, Dominique 12), Mansfield University 44 (UHRICH, Jessica 19). Assists-West Chester University 15 (WINTERS, Natalie 5), Mansfield University 22 (TAYLOR, Tiffany 7). Total fouls-West Chester University 21, Mansfield University 13.

A-250