WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. – Four Lycoming College women's basketball players finished in double figures and the team shot 48 percent in the second half to move past Lebanon Valley College, 80-66, in a battle for third place in the MAC Commonwealth on Tuesday night, Feb. 13.
 
The Warriors (17-6 overall, 10-4 MAC Commonwealth) clinched the No. 3 seed in next week's MAC Commonwealth Championships, advancing to the semifinals of the tournament on Wednesday, Feb. 21, where they will head to Messiah or Albright.
 
Sophomore Akilah McFadden (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg Area) led the Warriors with 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks. Senior Shelby Mueller (Collegeville, Pa./Spring-Ford) added 16 points, nine rebounds, three blocks and three steals and sophomore Morgan Mader (Cresco, Pa./Pocono Mountain East) added 15 points, five assists and four steals. Junior Becca Painter (Elverson, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) also notched 11 points, six rebounds and three assists.
 
Lycoming shot 43 percent (25-of-58) from the field in the game, while limiting Lebanon Valley (14-10 overall, 9-6 MAC Commonwealth) to 35 percent (24-of-69). Lycoming also hit 24-of-27 (89 percent) while LVC was 11-of-19 (58 percent).
 
The Warriors led from start to finish, taking a 9-3 lead through the first two minutes before the Flying Dutchmen closed within two at 17-15 late in the quarter. However, a pair of free throws from freshman Erica Lutz (Bernville, Pa./Hamburg) was followed by a jumper, getting the lead back to six points. In the second quarter, the Warriors scored the first five points, with McFadden hitting a 3-pointer with 8:26 left to make it 26-16. However, the Dutchmen closed the gap to a single point with an 11-2 run with 32 seconds left in the half before McFadden drove the lane for a layup to make it 30-27 at the break.
 
Mader hit a 3-pointer to start the third quarter and Lycoming held a lead of at least five points throughout the early part of the period before senior Hailey Fricke (Denver, Pa./Garden Spot) lifted a 3-pointer beyond reach of a surprised defender, starting a run of 10 straight points to make it 59-44 heading into the final quarter.
 
Lebanon Valley couldn't get closer than 11 in the final period and Lycoming hit 7-of-10 at the free throw line in the closing 2:18 to secure their 17^th win of the year, the most for the team since 1999-00.
 
Lutz finished with eight points and three rebounds and freshman Tori Talanca (Berwick, Pa./Berwick Area) posted six points and three boards. Fricke finished with five points and four rebounds.
 
Becky Evans led the Dutchmen with 17 points and four assists and Anne Lehr added 14 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and two steals.
 
The Warriors wrap up the regular season on Saturday, Feb. 17, when they head to Albright College for a MAC Commonwealth doubleheader. The women tip at 2 p.m. before the men at 4 p.m.