Box Score

ASTON, Pa. – The sixth-seeded Immaculata University's women's basketball team's run in the 2010 Colonial States Athletic Conference Tournament was halted on Saturday afternoon in the semifinals by top-seed Neumann University, 71-56, inside The Mirenda Center.

Immaculata concludes the season 16-10 overall while Neumann improves to 19-6, and the Knights advance to the CSAC championship game on Sunday afternoon. Neumann will play second-seed Gwynedd-Mercy College in the finals after the Griffins defeated fifth-seed Centenary College, 94-59, in the other semifinal contest.

The Mighty Macs were led by four scorers in double figures. Bridget Welz and Kelly Brown held team-high honors with 11 points apiece, while Chrissy Esbensen and Chelsea McTigue each added 10 points for Immaculata. Welz and Rachel Denis were the Mighty Macs' leaders on the glass with six rebounds each.

Immaculata began the game maintaining the lead for much of the first seven minutes, led by seven points from Welz, to hold a 12-10 edge with 13:41 remaining. After Welz' three to put the Mighty Macs up by two, the Knights went on a 16-3 run, to swing Neumann ahead by 11 (26-15) with 7:17 left.

Courtney Murphy sunk both ends of her free throws to trim Immaculata's deficit back to single digits, 26-17, with 6:31 to play, but Neumann quickly doubled its lead to 18 (37-19) three minutes later. The Knights eventually led 39-23 at the break.

After Neumann pushed its lead to 19 for the third time during the second half at the 15:44 mark, 50-31, Immaculata went on an 8-2 spurt to cut to within 13 (52-39) with 10:52 remaining. However, Krista DiRomualdo and Katie Young took the momentum back for the Knights as they pulled back ahead by 18, 59-41, midway through the stanza.

McTigue began a 12-4 run for the Mighty Macs over 3:37 that was capped by Esbensen's two made free throws at the 5:52 mark, pulling Immaculata within 63-53. However, Neumann scored six straight points before Esbensen sunk a three-pointer with 1:10 remaining, and the Knights went on to the 71-56 win.

Neumann's Brittany Whetts had game-high honors with 24 points, while Young registered 11 points and a team-best nine rebounds.

Neumann finished the contest shooting 41.9 percent (26 of 62) from the field while Immaculata was 21-for-60 (.350). The Mighty Macs did shoot 75 percent from the foul line (9-12) as compared to the Knights 60 percent (15-25).