LATE FIRST-HALF RUN LIFTS WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Senior Kaitlyn O’Malley was one of four Mules with at least six rebounds. Muhlenberg pulled down over 50 boards for the third straight game.

No matter what their plans are for the holiday break, the members of the Muhlenberg women's basketball team can relax and enjoy, knowing that the "first half" of their season has gone about as well as could be expected.

Tough Start for Wrestling Facing three squads with a combined 24 dual matches already under their belts in 2009-10, the Muhlenberg wrestling team dropped its first three dual matches of the season. The Mules fell 47-0 to Wilkes, 42-4 to host York and 48-7 to Penn State DuBois. Eight of the Mules’ 11 points came from major decisions by sophomore Kevin Homan and freshman Andrew Nederlof. Click here for box scores.

The Mules used a late-first-half spurt to ease past Franklin & Marshall, 58-39, in their last game until January 9. Muhlenberg, ranked 14th in Division III, has won six in a row since suffering its only loss and is tied for first place in the Centennial Conference with Gettysburg. The Mules have won 27 straight against CC opponents.

Trailing 17-11 at the nine-minute mark in the first half, Muhlenberg turned up the defensive pressure and rebounding and closed out the half on a 20-4 run to take a 10-point lead into the break. Two putbacks by junior Kelly McKeon and a layup by sophomore Kathleen Naddaff tied the score, and a three-point play by freshman Alita Zabrecky put Muhlenberg ahead to stay.

Two more baskets apiece by McKeon and Zabrecky - the last on a fullcourt steal and layup - ended the spurt.

The Mules (7-1, 5-0) outscored the Diplomats (5-3, 2-3) by a 16-6 margin in the first seven minutes of the second half to extend their lead to 20.

McKeon finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals. Zabrecky scored a career-high 11 points and added six rebounds. Sophomore Alexandra Chili was 3-for-4 from three-point range and finished with 12 points.

Muhlenberg held F&M to 25-percent shooting in holding a CC opponent under 40 points for the first time since the 2007-08 season.
Click here for box score.
Click here for complete stats.