University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
Women's Basketball  

Stories & Highlights
2008-09 season

Devils’ Season Comes to Abrupt Halt with Playoff Loss (3/3/09)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s basketball team saw their season come to an abrupt halt Tuesday night as Philadelphia University took control of the game in the second half en route to a 72-51 win in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference quarterfinal playoff game at the Gallagher Center in East Falls.

Philadelphia advances to one semi-final game against Bloomfield College with the win and improves to 19-9. The other semi-final will feature Dominican College, the top seed in the north taking on Wilmington University who upset heavy favorite Holy Family University 67-64. The Devils conclude their season with a 15-13 record, their fifth winning season in the past six years and their ninth winning season in the past 11 years. USP’s 15-13 record and 12-6 final conference records are both two-win improvements over their 07-08 season records.

Junior Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) led USP with 16 points, connecting on seven of 12 shots from the field and going 2-for-3 from the free throw line. Sophomore guard Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) added nine points (3-7 FG, 1-2 3FG, 2-2 FT). Senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) contributed seven points (7-8FT), ten rebounds and seven assists while sophomore Melissa Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.) also had seven points (1-3 FG, 1-2 3FG, 4-4 FT) and four steals.

The Lady Rams placed four players in double figures led by Kate Brennan’s 17 points (7-10 FG, 2-4 3FG). Jessica Romano added 16 points (7-13 FG, 2-2 FT) and 10 rebounds. Steph Agger contributed 12 points (4-9 FG, 4-5 FT), all in the second half and dished out a game-high eight assists. Amanda Brennan also added 12 points (3-8 3FG, 3-4 FT).

The Lady Rams opened the game by scoring the first 11 points before the Devils used a 9-2 run to cut their deficit to four 13-9. Philadelphia boosted the lead back up to nine midway through the period, 23-14 before the Devils battled back again, this time with a 12-4 flourish to pull within one 27-26 with 4:20 left in the period. Hamm’s 3-ball started the run and was later followed by a traditional three-point play by Chesnavich to make the score 25-20. After both teams exchanged points, Chesnavich hit two straight baskets to complete the run. PU added ‘treys’ from Taylor Magnus and Amanda Brennan to close out the half with a three-point lead 33-30.

Chesnavich started the second half scoring with a layup to make the score 33-32 but the Lady Rams exploded with a 12-2 run to go back up by 11, 45-34 with 16:11 left. A pair of Weiss free throws nearly two minutes later cut the lead to seven 46-39 but Philadelphia then used a 15-4 spurt to boost the lead to 17, 60-43 with 10:37 left, hitting six of seven shots in the process. USP could close no closer than 16 the rest of the way as the Rams cruised home with the 21-point win. Philadelphia has now eliminated the Devils from the CACC playoffs in two of the last three seasons.

The Devils made just five field goals (in 23 attempts, 21.7%) in the second half en route to a 16-48 performance from the field. USP was just 2-for-5 from beyond the arc and made 17 of 19 free throws (89.5%). The Lady Rams made 13 of 24 shot (54.2%) in the second half, en route to a 27-58 performance from the field (46.6%). They connected on eight of 18 shots from three-point range (44.4%) and made ten of 15 free throws (66.7%). Philadelphia also held a 36-28 advantage on the boards and committed 15 turnovers (leading to 12 USP points). The Devils committed 19 turnovers, leading to 18 points by the Lady Rams.

Devils Close Out Regular Season with a Win (2/24/09)

Allison Weiss and Erin Chesnavich combined for 36 points as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s basketball team closed out the 08-09 regular season on a positive note, defeating Wilmington University 65-60 at the Pratt Center in Wilmington, Delaware Tuesday evening.

The win improves the Devils record to 15-12 overall and 12-6 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. More importantly, the Devils will now finish no worse than third place in the CACC South division and will face Philadelphia University in the quarterfinal round of the CACC playoffs. The site is yet to be determined as the Lady Rams of Philadelphia University (12-5 CACC) have one more game remaining. The Wildcats fall to 16-11 overall and 11-7 in league games. They finish fourth in the CACC South and will open the playoffs next Monday at top seed Holy Family University.

The senior Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.), finished the game with 18 points (7-13 FG, 4-4 FT) while pulling down 11 rebounds and dishing out six assists. Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.), a junior forward, also had 18 points (8-13 FG, 2-2 FT) while grabbing seven rebounds, recording two blocked shots and three steals. Sophomore Colleen Christian (Central Bucks South HS/Warrington, Pa.) added nine points (3-5 FG, 2-2 3FG, 1-2 FT) off the bench.

The Wildcats were led by Amelia Simmons. Simmons scored 22 points in the first half and added eight more in the second for a game-high 30 (13-22 FG, 4-6 FT). Simmons also grabbed 13 rebounds. Jillian Bennett added 10 points (5-13 FG) and 11 rebounds while Kim Parker had seven points (2-14 FG, 3-3 FT) and dished out a game-high seven assists.

Wilmington came out on fire in the opening ten minutes, outscoring the Devils 22-10 with Simmons recording 11 of the 22 points, eight off offensive rebounds. The Wildcats still led by 10, 24-14 when the Devils went on a 12-6 spurt to cut the lead to four 30-26 with 2:43 left. After a Simmons basket boosted the lead back to six, 32-26, Weiss scored the six of the final seven points of the half to finish the half with an 18-9 outburst to trail by one at the break 33-32.

Sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) opened the second half with a layup to give the Devils a 34-33 lead, their first since the 16:59 mark of the first half (6-4). The Wildcats battled back to take a one point lead 42-41 when Chesnavich made two straight layups and sophomore Melissa Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.) followed with one of her own to give the Devils a 47-42 lead with 11:38 left. Wilmington kept it close, cutting the lead to two, 53-51 with five minutes left in the game when the Devils took control, scoring nine straight points to take an 11-point lead 62-51 with 2:21 left. Sophomore Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) started the run with a layup followed by a Christian 3-ball. Erin Chesnavich then added two more layups to complete the run. A Bennett basket broke the run and Simmons followed with a layup to reduce the Devils lead to seven. Two free throws by Weiss with 47 seconds left made the score 64-55. Wilmington made things interesting as the Devils suddenly went cold from the free throw line missing the front end of two straight one-and-ones. The Wildcats got a basket from Parker and a ‘trey’ from Denise Crudup to pull within four, 64-60 with 17 seconds left. Marissa Chesnavich then closed out the scoring making the first of two free throws to make the final score 65-60.

For the game the Devils shot 50% (25-50) and were 4-for-6 from three-point range. The Devils also made 11 of 16 free throws (68.8%). The Wildcats were limited to a 29.7% (11-37) shooting effort in the second half to finish the game shooting 36.7% (25-70). Wilmington was 3-for-20 from long range (15%) and made seven of 10 free throws (70%). The Wildcats outrebounded the Devils 40-36 (21-9 on the offensive glass) and had three fewer turnovers 16(13 assists) to 20 (19 assists) for the Devils.

Defense Prevails as Devils Defeat Lightning (2/19/09)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s basketball team used their defense to win their second consecutive game, defeating Goldey-Beacom College 46-36, Thursday evening at the Joseph West Jones Center in Wilmington, Delaware.

USP improves to 14-11 overall and 11-5 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. Goldey Beacom drops to 7-17 overall and 3-12 in league play. USP’s 14 wins are one more than they had in the 2007-08 season as is their 11 conference wins, bettering last year’s mark of 10.

Junior Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) led all scorers with 13 points (5-11 FG, 3-4 FT). Senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) added eight points and sophomore Melissa Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/ Harrisburg, Pa.) chipped in seven. Rotz also recorded a game-high six assists. Chesnavich led USP with seven rebounds and sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) had six steals and eight points.

The Lightning were led by Janae Weldon’s 11 points. Arielle Alford had 11 rebounds, three blocks and six steals. Evebonnee Acosta added eight points and a team-high three assists.

Leading by a single point at the half, the Devils limited the Lightning to just five second half field goals in 27 shot attempts (18.5%) as they opened up a double digit lead, see the lead nearly evaporate and then put the game away with free throws in the final minutes. USP also made only five second half baskets (5-19, 26.3%) but made 15 of 19 (78.9%) free throws in the half to provide themselves a cushion.

USP started the second half with a 10-0 run to turn their one point lead into a 30-19 advantage. Hamm started the run with a 3-ball from the corner and Weiss added a 10 foot jumper. Chesnavich then connected on two layups to force a GBC timeout. Junior Kaitlin DuRoss (Ocean City HS/Sea Isle City, N.J.) ended the run by making the second of two free throws at the 15:10 mark. GBC’s Kellyn Nolan broke the streak with a basket with 14:50 left. USP still led by 11, 35-24 with 10:08 left when the Lightning struck with a 10-2 run to pull within three, 37-34 with 3:32 left. Neither team scored a field goal the rest of the way as the Devils made nine of 10 free throws over the final 2:35 to provide the final ten-point margin of victory 46-36.

For the game, the Devils made 14 of 40 shots from the field (35%) including a 3-6 effort from beyond the arc. USP also shot 78.9% from the free throw line (15-19) with all their free throws coming in the second half. The Lightning made just 12 of 51 shots from the field (23.5%) and was 3-16 (18.8%) from long distance. GBC finished the game making nine of 14 free throws (64.3%). USP held the edge on the glass, 37-30 which helped offset six more turnovers than the Lightning (25-19). Those 25 turnovers however led to only five Lightning points.

The Devils return to action on Saturday, February 21, 2009 when they travel to Rutherford, New Jersey to take on Felician College. Tip off is set for 4:00 p.m.

Devils Clinch a Playoff Spot with Win over Lions (2/17/09)

Kaitlin DuRoss had a career-high 14 points as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's basketball team clinched a playoff spot with a 57-42 win over Georgian Court University in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference southern division game Tuesday night at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

The win improves the Devils record to 13-11 overall and 10-5 in CACC games. Georgian Court drops to 12-14 overall and 8-9 in CACC games.

DuRoss (Ocean City HS/Sea Isle City, N.J.), a junior guard, connected on five of eight shots (1 3FG) from the field and made all three of her foul shots to amass her career high 14 points. Kaitlin also grabbed a career high seven rebounds, had two assists a block and a steal on the night. Junior Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly High School/Pittston, Pa.) added 11 points (5-10 FG) with two steals. Senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/ Springfield, Pa.) led the Devils with seven assists and a game-high 10 rebounds while putting in nine points. Sophomores Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly High School/Pittston, Pa.) and Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) each had eight points.

Christina White led Georgian Court with 16 points (7-11 FG) and eight rebounds. Lauren Staats added eight points while Dorian Jackson chipped in seven. Shaleeh Alston led GCU with four assists.

The Devils scored the first five points of the game and never looked back, holding off an early GCU rally which tied the game at 12 and again at 14 before going on a 12-2 run to take a 10 point lead 26-16 with 4:19 left in the half. However the Devils failed to score again in the half and the Lions cut the deficit to six at the break, 26-20.

USP opened the second half with a 10-2 run to go back up by double digits, 36-22 with 13:16 left. Weiss started things off with a layup off a couple of her own missed shots. GCU's White then added a pair of free throws before the Devils got a 15 foot basket from Marissa Chesnavich and layups from Hamm and DuRoss. Marissa Chesnavich then capped the run with a layup before White broke the Lion drought with a layup at the 12:55 mark, their first field goal of the half. A 3-ball from Staats cut the deficit to 10 before Devils again boosted the lead to 14, 46-32 courtesy of a layup by senior Autumn Tully (Union-Endicott HS (N.Y.)/Springfield, Pa.). Georgian Court then got a 'trey' from Alston and a layup from Kiona Mayweather to cut the lead to single digits 46-37 with 4:47 left. On USP's next possession DuRoss took a pass from sophomore Melissa Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.) for the layup plus one. Hamm then followed with a three-point field goal to give USP their biggest lead, 15 points 52-37 with 3:38 left. The Lions could not pull off another come-from-behind rally as they had been doing during their recent five-game win streak, pulling no closer than 11 the rest of the way. The Devils connected on five of six free throws in the final minute to secure the 15-point win.

USP connected on 22 of 54 shots from the field (40.7%) while the Lions made just 17 of 51 (33.3%). The Lions did double up the Devils from long range, hitting four of 12 three point attempts compared to USP's 2-for-4. USP also held a decided advantage on the free throw line (11-17/4-8) and outrebounded t GCU 39-35. Fifteen of USP's 39 rebounds were off the offensive glass and led to 19 USP points. The Devils also scored 19 points off 18 GCU turnovers while the Lions scored 11 points off 14 USP turnovers.

The Devils return to action on Thursday, February 19, 2009 when they travel south to take on Goldey-Beacom College in Wilmington, Delaware. Tip off is set for 6:00 p.m.

Devils Fall to Firebirds (2/14/09)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s basketball team had their three game winning streak snapped at the hands of the 18th ranked team in the country, University of the District of Columbia, 61-51 in Washington D.C. Saturday afternoon.

USP dropped to 12-11 on the season with the loss. UDC improved to 20-4.

The Devils were again led by junior forward Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.). Chesnavich connected on eight of 10 shots from the field and was 4-5 from the free throw line for a game-high 20 points. Sophomore guard Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) joined Chesnavich in double figures with 10 points (4-9 FG, 2-4 3FG). Sophomore forward Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) added seven points off the bench. Erin Chesnavich led the Devils with seven rebounds while Hamm added five. Sophomore guards Melissa Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.) and Colleen Christian (Central Buck South HS/Warrington, Pa.) had three assists apiece.

The Firebirds placed four players in double figures, led by LaQuanda Brandon’s 14 points. DeVaughn Hailey added 13 points while Tamara Watkins and Lillian McGill contributed 12 and 11 points respectively coming off the bench. Hailey also led UDC with six rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Brandon also had four steals.

USP jumped out to a 20-13 lead midway through the first period and increased the margin to eight, 26-18 before the Firebirds scored four of the next five points to cut the lead to five 27-22 at the break. UDC opened the second half with a 10-2 run to take a three point lead 32-29 just five minutes into the final stanza. The Firebirds widened the gap to five 38-33 before the Devils got a basket apiece from the Chesnavich sisters to cut the gap to one 38-37 with 10:49 left in the game.

Now trailing by one, the Devils were outscored 9-2 over the next 3:15 and trailed by eight 47-39 with 7:34 left. USP cut the deficit to six on two occasions but the Firebirds had too much firepower, going on a 10-2 run to lead by 14, 59-45 with just 1:46 left. Free throws by Marissa Chesnavich and senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) in the last 45 seconds made the final margin ten points, 61-51.

The Devils shot slightly better for the game, making 18 of 45 shots (40%) compared to UDC’s 22-59 (37.3%). The Firebirds however dominated from three-point range, making seven of 14 shots while USP made just two of 12. USP was slightly better at the line (13-15 to 10-15) and both teams had 30 rebounds, with UDC having a 17-12 edge on the offensive glass. UDC also committed six fewer turnovers, 15 to 21 than the Devils.

USP returns to action for their final regular season home game on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 when they host Georgian Court University in a game that will have playoff implications for both teams. Tip off is set for 7:00 p.m. Stay tuned!!

Free Throws Secure Win for Devils (2/12/09)

Melissa Rotz and Erin Chesnavich each hit a pair of free throws in the final 20 seconds as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia rallied to defeat Philadelphia University 53-49 in a key Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Southern Division matchup at the Gallagher Center in East Falls.

The win improves the Devils record to 12-10 overall and 9-5 in CACC games. The Lady Rams drop to 15-8 overall and 10-4 in league play.

Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) led all scorers with 16 points, hitting seven of 13 shots from the field. Senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) added 12 points (4-8 FG, 4-4 FT) and a team high four assists. Freshman Sarah Hickman (Wilmington Christian School/Newark, Del.) added six points while Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.) dished out three assists and had two steals. Chesnavich also led the team with nine rebounds.

PU’s Amanda Brennan finished the game with a team-high 13 points (3-13 FG, 2-8 3FG, 5-5 FT). Steph Agger added 10 points (5-8 FG). Jessica Romano had eight points (2-11 FG, 4-4 FT) and a team high eight rebounds. Agger led the Lady Rams with three assists.

It was Rotz’s second steal with 11 seconds remaining in the game which sent her to the free throw line to shoot a 1-and-1 with the Devils up by two. Melissa made both shots to put the Devils up by four. Ten seconds earlier Chesnavich grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled. The junior forward made both shots to break a 49-49 tie and put the Devils up by two. On the Lady Rams final possession, sophomore Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) stole a pass from Amanda Brennan and the Devils held on for the four point win.

The Devils started the half trailing by six points, 28-22, courtesy of a three point field goal by Kate Brennan breaking a 22-22 tie with 2:25 left and another by Amanda Brennan with time expiring. The Lady Rams still led by five when the Devils ran off six straight points, a pair of free throws by Weiss, a running off-balance eight foot bank shot from Rotz and a layup from Marissa Chesnavich which gave the Devils a 32-31 lead with 15:07 left. From that point on neither team led by more than three points until Rotz made her free throws to put the Devils up by four. There were nine lead changes with a Weiss layup providing the last one with 3:55 left, giving USP a 45-44 lead. After USP went up by three the Lady Rams rallied to tie the game for the ninth time with three free throws from Amanda Brennan making the score 49-49 with 36 seconds left, setting the stage for the dramatic finish in the final seconds.

For the game the Devils shot 44.4% (20-45) from the field while the Lady Rams shot 33.3% (17-51). Both teams shot extremely well from the foul line with the Devils making 13 of 14 and the Lady Rams 10 of 11. The Devils held the edge on the boards, 33-26, but committed 17 turnovers to PU’s 10. The Lady Rams also made five three point field goals (5-15) compared to USP’s 0-6 effort.

USP returns to action on Saturday with a non-conference game at the University of the District of Columbia. Tip off is set for 3:00 p.m.

Chesnavich Sisters Provide Edge in Win (2/10/09)

Erin and Marissa Chesnavich combined for 28 points as the University of the Sciences women's basketball team narrowly averted a loss at the hands of Goldey Beacom College, 52-50 Tuesday night at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

USP improves to 11-10 overall and 8-5 in Central atlantic Collegiate Conference games. Goldey Beacom falls to 6-17 overall and 2-12 in league play.

Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly High School/Pittston, Pa.), a junior forward, led the Devils with 16 points on 8-16 shooting from the field. She also pulled down 11 rebounds for her third consecutive double-double and 14th of the season. Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly High School/Pittston, Pa.), a sophomore forward, scored 12 points on 4-5 shooting from the field, including her first three-point field goal of the season and a perfect 3-3 from the free throw line. Senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/ Springfield, Pa.) added eight rebounds and a team-high four assists. Erin Chesnavich had three assists and two blocks while sophomore Melissa Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.) had three steals.

Janae Weldon led the Lightning with 20 points (7-16 FG, 4-7 3FG, 2-3 FT). Kellyn Nolan added 11 points. Arielle Alford pulled down 11 rebounds and had four blocked shots. Evebonee Acosta led the Lightning with five assists.

A basket and free throw by Weldon gave the Lightning their largest lead midway through the first half, 17-12. The Devils responded with six straight points, a pair of free throws by Marissa Chesnavich, a layup by Erin Chesnavich and a layup by Weiss to retake the lead 18-17 at the 8:15 mark. Alford put the Lightning ahead again, 19-18 on GBC's next possession before the Devils ran off nine straight points to complete a combined 15-2 run and take an eight point lead 27-19 with 2:01 left. Junior Kaitlin DuRoss (Ocean City HS/Sea Isle City, N.J.) (7 points) started the run and Marissa Chesnavich followed with a 3-ball and then a layup-and 1. DuRoss then capped the run by making the first of two free throws. Acosta's layup with ten seconds left cut the Devils lead to six at the break 27-21.

The Devils built the lead back up to eight again, 31-23 at the 16:08 mark of the final period before the Lightning struck for 12 straight points to take a 35-33 lead lead with 14:00 remaining, getting two keep three-point field goals from Weldon. USP responded with seven straight points to go back up by five 40-35 at the 10:44 mark, getting two layups from DuRoss and a trey from sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.). The Lightning battled back, going on a 9-4 run to tie the game again at 44-44 with 5:48 left. Baskets by Erin Chesnavich and freshman Sarah Hickman (Wilmington Christian School/Newark, Del.) put the Devils back up by four, 48-44 with 3:37 left only to have the Lightning even things up again on another Weldon 3-ball, this one coming with 2:01 left. On USP's next possession, DuRoss fed the ball to Erin Chesnavich on the baseline for a 10-foot jumper which hit the front of the rim and bounced in to give the Devils a two point lead 52-50 with 1:38 left. Neither team added any more points to the scoreboard and the Devils escaped with the two point win.

USP shot 39.2% (20-51) for the game which was slightly better then Goldey's 33.3% (19-57) shooting effort. The Devils held a 10-14/7-13 advantage on the free throw line while the Lightning made five 'threes' to the Devils' two. Both teams finished with 39 rebounds. The Devils had 19 assists while committing only 16 turnovers. The Lightning committed 14 turnovers but had only nine assists on the night.

The Devils return to action on Thursday, February 12, 2009 when they face Philadelphia University at the Gallagher Center in East Falls. Tip off is set for 6:00 p.m.

Devils Rally from 21-Point Deficit to Defeat Cougars (2/7/09)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's basketball team trailed by 21 points just 25 seconds into the second half but utilized some solid shooting and defense to rally and defeat Caldwell College 74-70 Saturday afternoon at the Bobby Morgan Arena in University City.

The win snaps a modest two-game losing streak for the Devils as they climb back to the .500 mark with a 10-10 overall record and improve to 7-5 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. Caldwell falls to 8-12 overall and 6-4 in CACC games.

Junior Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly High School/Pittston, Pa.) scored 18 of her game high 20 points in the second half (after picking up three fouls in 12 first half minutes), finishing the game shooting 8-15 from the field and 4-6 from the free throw line. Erin also added 12 rebounds (9 in the second half) to record her 13th double-double of the season (and 12th in USP's last 14 games). Sophomores Caitlin Shaw (Monmouth Regional HS/ Eatontown, N.J.) and Colleen Christian (Central Bucks South HS/Warrington, Pa.) also reached double figures with Shaw notching 16 points (6-9 FG, 4-5 FT) and Christian a season-best 12 (4-6 FG, 2-2 3FG, 2-2 FT). USP also got a season high nine points from senior Autumn Tully (Union-Endicott HS (N.Y.)/Springfield, Pa.) (3-5 FG, 3-3 FT). Sophomore Melissa Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.) led all players with five assists and three steals. Shaw also added three steals.

Lynea Blue came off the bench to lead the Cougars with 16 points (6-11 FG, 4-6 3FG). Mackenzie Lynch also had 16 (4-10 FG, 8-10 FT). Kirsty Leedham chipped in 10 points. (3-10 FG, 1-3 3FG, 3-4 FT). Janay Perkins (seven points) had a team high 10 rebounds while Lynch pulled down eight and also dished out four assists. Abena George also had four assists for the Cougars.

The Cougars used a 16-1 run in the final 4:27 of the first half to turn a three point lead into an 18-point advantage at the break, 45-27. Kaitlyn Lambert hit a 3-ball to start the second half and the Cougars had a 48-27 lead. The Devils shaved just three points off the margin over the next five minutes to trail by the same halftime deficit, 18 points 52-34 with 15:03 left. USP then went on a remarkable 30-10 run over the next 9:37 to erase the deficit and take their first lead of the game 64-62.

Christian started the run with a jumper in the paint, and the Devils then took advantage of two Cougar turnovers, getting layups from Chesnavich and Rotz to make the score 52-40 with 14 minutes left. Lynch and Chesnavich then exchanged baskets and the Cougars got a single made free throw from Leedham to make the score 55-42. Sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) followed with a layup and Christian then nailed two straight three-point field goals to pull the Devils within five, 55-50 with 10:48 left. Two minutes later the Cougar lead was six, 60-54 when Chesnavich connected on two straight baskets to cut the deficit to two 60-58. A layup by George double the lead back to four 62-58 before the Devils scored three straight times to complete the run and take their first lead of the game 64-62 with 5:26 left with Chesnavich scoring the go-ahead layup.

Lynch pulled the Cougars within one by making the second of two free throws at the 4:55 mark before Chesnavich converted a traditional three-point play to boost USP's lead to four 67-63 with 3:55 left. Caldwell could get no closer than two the rest of the way as the Devils hung on for the 74-70 come-from-behind-win. Chesnavich had eight of the Devils 12 points over the final 5:26.

The second half comeback was fueled by an 18-for-29 shooting effort (62.1%) in the period coupled with holding the Cougars to just eight field goals in 26 shots (30.8%) and forcing 10 turnovers (leading to 11 points). USP also made the most of their long range shots, taking just two and making them both, while the Cougars were just 2-for-8 (one to open the half and one with 19 seconds left in the game).

The hot shooting second half effort enabled the Devils to finish the game with a 50% shooting effort (28-56) while the Cougars shot just 39.7% (23-58). USP, the second best free throw shooting team in the CACC, missed an unusually high amount of free throws (11) and finished the game with just a 59.3% effort from the charity stripe (16-27). Caldwell, the best free throw shooting team in the CACC, made the most of their free throws, connecting on 17 of 22 for the game (77.3%). Caldwell also had the advantage beyond the arc, making seven of 16 (43.8%) compared to USP's 2-5 (40%).

On the boards it was a different story as the Devils held a 39-32 advantage for the game and outrebounding the Cougars 22-13 in the second half. Both teams had decent assist turnover ratios (USP 19/19; CC 15/16).

The Devils return to action on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 as they host Goldey Beacom College at the Bobby Morgan Arena. It will be senior night for the Devils with the festivities and game set to start around 6:00 p.m.

Chesnavich Nets 1,000th Career Point but Devils Fall to Griffins (2/5/09)

Erin Chesnavich scored the 1,000th point of her career and recorded her 11th double-double in the last 13 games, but her effort was not enough as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s basketball team was upset by Chestnut Hill College , 59-51 Thursday evening at the Sorgenti Arena on Chestnut Hill’s campus.

Chestnut Hill improves to 5-15 overall and 3-8 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. USP falls to 9-10 overall and 6-5 in league play. The Devils remain in fourth place in the CACC South Division.

Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.), a 6’1” junior forward entered the game needing 12 points to reach the 1,000 point mark and become the 13th women’s basketball player in school history to do so. As the first half came to a close, Erin had cut that margin in half, scoring six points and needing just six to reach the milestone. In the second half, Chesnavich did not score until the 10:56 mark and followed that bucket with another layup exactly one minute later. Three possessions later, the junior forward took a pass from senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) and laid the ball into the basket to reach the 1,000 point mark. Chesnavich went on to score six more points to finish the game with 18 points while pulling down a team-high 10 rebounds.

Weiss also finished the game with ten rebounds while scoring nine points and dishing out a team leading three assists. Sophomore Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) also had nine points on the evening and fellow sophomore Melissa Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.) also dished out three assists.

The Griffins were led by Carley Glass and Jessica Pruiti. Glass led all scorers withy 19 points while Pruiti added 17. Davina Yacob had 10 rebounds to pace Chestnut Hill while Pruiti dished out a game-high five assists.

Back to the game, the Devils held a 10 point lead with 9:39 left in the first period and still led by nine, 23-14 with 5:42 left in the period when the Griffins put on an 8-0 run to close out the half, leaving the Devils with a one point lead 23-22 at the break.

After a Weiss layup to open the half, the Griffins outscored the Devils 11-2 over the next five minutes to take a 33-27 lead with 14:36 left. The Devils played catch-up the rest of the way but could only pull within three points on several occasions, the last with 3:15 left to go when Erin Chesnavich connected on a layup to make the score 47-44. The Griffins connected on 10 of 14 free throws in the final 1:51 to seal the eight point win, 59-51.

The Devils shot just 34.4% in the second half (11-32) an effort which included 12 missed layup attempts. Chestnut Hill meanwhile connected on 47.6% (10-21) of their shots from the field. For the game USP shot 37.7% (20-53) and was just 1-7 from beyond the three-point arc. The Griffins made 20 of 48 shot attempts (41.7%), including a 4-9 mark from long range. Chestnut Hill held the advantage on the line 15-24/10-15 and assist/turnover ration 13-13/11-15. USP held a narrow edge on the boards 36-34.

The Devils return to action on Saturday, February 7, 2009 when they host Caldwell College at the Bobby Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 1:00 p.m.

Tigers Defeat Devils (2/3/09)

Holy Family University remained undefeated in conference play as the handed the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's basketball team a 64-47 loss Tuesday night at the Bobby Morgan Arena in University City.

The Devils dropped to 9-9 overall and 6-4 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. The Tigers improve to 19-4 overall and 12-0 in league play. The win was also the 400th career victory for Holy Family head coach Mike McLaughlin, who becomes the fastest NCAA women's basketball coach on any level to reach 400 wins, accomplishing the feat in just 459 games. The Devils remain in fourth place in the CACC south standings with the loss, 1 1/2 games behind second place Wilmington University and Philadelphia University (8-3).

Senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) was the only USP player to reach double figures, scoring 15 points. Weiss also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds and had three assists. Sophomore Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly High School/Pittston, Pa.) added eight points while junior Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly High School/Pittston, Pa.) and sophomore Caitlin Shaw (Monmouth Regional HS/ Eatontown, N.J.) chipped in seven apiece.

Christine McCollum led three players in double figures for the Tigers, scoring 20 points. McCollum also pulled down a game-high eight rebounds. Lauren Peters and Melissa Brooks chipped in 15 points apiece. Peters led all players with six assists.

Holy Family jumped out to an 11-point lead in the first five minutes of play, 16-5 and later increased the margin to 14. The Devils came back to cut the deficit to eight three times in the half before the Tigers closed out the period with an 8-2 run to lead by 14 at the break 34-20.

A 10-4 run by the Tigers to open the second half boosted their lead to 20, 44-24 at the 15:05 mark. The Devils followed with a 9-2 run to cut the lead to 13, 46-33 with 10:05 left but that would be as close as they would come the rest of the way. The Tigers again went up by 20, 59-39 before settling in for the 17-point win.

USP did out-shoot the Tigers (47.1%-37.9%), but committed 22 turnovers in the process. These 22 turnovers led to 25 points for the Tigers. Contrastly the Tigers committed just nine miscues, leading to just six USP points. Holy Family buried 9-25 3FG’s while USP went 2-3 from behind the arc. Free throw shooting wise, USP made 13-17 and Holy Family converted 5-7. The Tigers dominated on the boards 35-26 (19-3 on the offensive glass) and constructed a nice 19-9 assist/turnover ratio. USP's 47.1 percent shooting effort was the best mark by a CACC team this season against the Tigers (the first time this year that any conference school shot over 40% against Holy Family).

USP returns to action on Thursday, February 5, 2009 when they face CACC south division rival Chestnut Hill College on the road. USP defeated the Griffins 50-40 a week ago at the Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 6:00 p.m.

Devils Defense Does in Dominican (1/31/09)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's basketball team limited Dominican College to a 28.8% shooting effort from the field and Erin Chesnavich and Allison Weiss each recorded a double-double as the Devils won a key Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference crossover match, 59-48 Saturday afternoon at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

The win improves the Devils record to 9-8 overall and 6-3 in CACC games. Dominican falls to 11-9 overall and 8-2 in league play.

Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly High School/Pittston, Pa.) recorded her eighth consecutive double-double and tenth in the last 11 games. The junior forward led the Devils with 16 points (6-8 FG, 4-5 FT) while pulling down ten rebounds. Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) , a senior forward, added 12 points and pulled down a game high 11 boards. Sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) dished out six assists to go along with her seven points and fellow sophomore Caitlin Shaw (Monmouth Regional HS/ Eatontown, N.J.) added eight points.

Althea Chambers led the Chargers with a game-high 19 points (5-9 FG, 6-11 FT) while Jessica Fairweather added 11 points off the bench. Shalissa Burgess paced Dominican with eight rebounds while Chambers and Kaity Lent had two assists apiece.

It was a Chambers' layup that put the Chargers up by three 20-17 with 8:08 left in the first half. DC was shooting at a 41% clip at that point and there already had been five lead changes with neither team leading by any more than five points. The Devils' defense then went to work, limiting the Chargers to just one field goal the rest of the half (1-11) while outscoring their opponents 16-3 to take a ten point lead at the break, 33-23. Sophomore Melissa Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.) started the run with a 3-ball that tied the game at 20-20 and after DC's Samantha Klunk made a layup with 24 seconds left (the Chargers only FG in the final 8:08), sophomore Colleen Christian (Central Bucks South HS/Warrington, Pa.) ended the run with a three-pointer at the buzzer. In between the Devils got a pair of free throws from Weiss, a layup from Hamm, a two-point basket from Christian and two layups from sophomore Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly High School/Pittston, Pa.). USP finished the half shooting 53.8% (14-26, 3-7 3FG) from the field while the Chargers made just eight of 28 shots (28.6%).

Two layups by Erin Chesnavich brought the Devils lead to 12, 37-25 three minutes into the second half before the Chargers began a 13-4 run to pull within three 41-38 with 12:46 left in the period. USP's defense went to work again as the Devils held the Chargers without a field goal (0-9) over the next six-plus minutes while pulling away with a 14-1 run to take a 55-39 lead with 6:32 remaining in the game. Shaw had all eight of her points during the run for the Devils. A trey by Chambers broke the drought and made the score 55-42 at the 6:12 mark. USP got a basket by Erin Chesnavich and two free throws from Rotz to take their largest lead of the game, 17 points, 59-42 with 5:26 left. Dominican then scored the final six points of the game to make the final score 59-48.

The Devils finished the game shooting 46.7% from the field (21-45, 3-8 3FG) while the Chargers made just 17 of 59 shots (8-28 3FG) to finish the game shooting 28.8%. The Devils held a 38-32 advantage on the boards and outshot the Chargers on the free throw line 14-17 (82.4%) to 6-11 (54.5%) . USP committed 18 turnovers (17 assists) leading to 15 Charger points while the Chargers had 13 turnovers (8 assists) leading to 20 USP points.

The Devils return to action on Tuesday, February 3, 2009 when they host first place Holy Family University at the Bobby Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 6:00 p.m.

Devils Back on Track with Win over Griffins (1/27/09)

Erin Chesnavich recorded her seventh consecutive double-double as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's basketball team survived a poor second half shooting performance to earn a 50-40 win over crosstown rival Chestnut Hill College Tuesday night at the Bobby Morgan Arena.

The win upped the Devils record to 8-8 overall and 5-3 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. Chestnut Hill fell to 3-14 overall and 1-7 in league play with the loss.

Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly High School/Pittston, Pa.), a junior forward, recorded a career-high 20 rebounds while scoring a game-high 15 points to notch her seventh consecutive double-double and ninth in the last ten games. Joining Chesnavich in double figures was sophomore Melissa Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.). Rotz had ten points on the night and finished with a game-high three assists. Sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) chipped in nine points while senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) added 13 rebounds and six points. Chesnavich's 20 rebounds are the most in a game by a USP women's basketball player since Chauntrelle Clayton pulled down 20 against Baptist Bible on February 5, 2000. The school record for rebounds is 21 set by Renee Terhune against Baptist Bible on February 8, 1997.

Jenna Beck led the Griffins with 12 points while Jessica Pruiti added seven. Davina Yacob grabbed six rebounds.

After shooting nearly 50% in the first half (11-23) the Devils struggled to find the basket in the final 20 minutes of play, making just five field goals in 23 shots (21.7%) to finish the game shooting 34.8% (16-46). The Griffins also made 16 field goals on the night, in 56 attempts (28.6%). The Devils doubled up the Griffins on the free throw line (14-18 to 7-10) and dominated on the glass 47-26. The Griffins scored 14 of their 40 points off 19 USP turnovers while committing just ten miscues on the night themselves.

The Devils solid shooting in the first half propelled them to an early double digit lead just five minutes into the game, 15-4. USP later built the margin to 19, 30-11 with 6:13 left in the period only to have the Griffins close out the half with a 9-1 outburst to set the lead at 11 going into the break, 31-20. Hamm scored all nine of her points in the period while Chesnavich added eight points and 10 rebounds.

Defensively at the start of the second half, the Devils held the Griffins without a field goal for the first 6:40, taking an 18-point lead in the process 40-22. Five straight points by CHC cut the lead back down to 13, 40-27 but the Devils responded with an 8-2 run, to go back up by 19, 48-29 with 5:54 remaining. Sophomore Colleen Christian (Central Bucks South HS/Warrington, Pa.) sank her only basket of the game, a three pointer to start the run and junior Kaitlin DuRoss (Ocean City HS/Sea Isle City, N.J.) added her only basket, also a trey, to end the run. In between the Devils made two free throws and missed eight shots from the field. Chestnut Hill made one last run, connecting on five of their last six shots and outscoring the Devils, 11-2 over the final 5:28 to make the final score 50-40.

The Devils return to action on Saturday, January 31, 2009 when they host Dominican College in a CACC crossover game at the Bobby Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 1:00 p.m.

Weiss Scores 1,000th Career Point, but Devils lose to Wildcats (1/24/09)

Senior Allison Weiss became just the 12th player to reach 1,000 career points in the history of the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's basketball program with a 14-point effort in Saturday afternoon's contest against Wilmington University. However the Wildcats long distance offensive attack proved too much for the Devils as they dropped their second straight game, 83-74.

The loss drops USP's record to 7-8 overall and 4-3 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. Wilmington improves to 12-6 overall and 6-2 in league play.

Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) reached the 1,000 point mark on her final basket of the game, a layup with just 2.2 seconds remaining. Allison finished the game shooting 4-for-11 from the field and 6-for-7 from the free throw line. In addition the senior forward grabbed eight rebounds and dished out two assists.

Junior Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly High School/Pittston, Pa.) led the Devils, recording her sixth consecutive double-double with 27 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Erin shot 9-for-12 from the field and was a perfect 9-for-9 from the charity stripe. Joining Weiss and Chesnavich in double figures was sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) who finished the game with 14 points. Sophomore Melissa Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.) added seven points and dished out three assists.

Wilmington's long distance attack was two pronged as Jamie Gallagher connected on ten three-point field goals en route to a game high 32 points. Kim Parker added 31 points, hitting five 3-balls (9-19 total FG) and making eight of 11 free throws. Amelia Simmons added 10 points. Simmons, Parker and Gallagher each had five rebounds to lead the Wildcats while Parker dished out a game high six assists.

The Wildcats used a 15-4 run midway through the first half to open up a ten point lead 31-21. The Wildcats later increased the margin to 12, 41-29 before the Devils closed out the half with a 9-3 spurt to pull within six at the break, 44-38.

A Parker layup and a Gallagher trey boosted the Wildcats lead back to 11, 49-38 before the Devils rallied with 12 straight points to take their first lead since the 10:50 mark of the first half. Weiss contributed six of the 12 points during the USP run with junior Kaitlin DuRoss (Ocean City HS/Sea Isle City, N.J.) adding four and Chesnavich two. From there it was a game of ups and downs as the Wildcats pulled away to lead by seven following the run, 59-52 and the Devils countered with a 10-2 spurt to retake the lead 62-61. Hamm had a short jumper to start the run and sophomore Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly High School/Pittston, Pa.) followed with a layup. Weiss added a layup and the Devils completed the run with free throws by DuRoss and Marissa Chesnavich. Seven straight Wilmington points followed and the Devils again trailed by six 68-62 with 7:03 left.

Weiss' two free throws at the 4:15 mark made it a two point game 68-66 but this was as close as the Devils would get down the stretch. Gallagher helped put the nail in the coffin with her tenth three-pointer of the game at the 1:56 mark, giving Wilmington a seven point lead 75-68. A traditional three-point play by Parker with 1:07 left made the score 79-70. The Wildcats made four straight free throws in the final minute of play to lead by 11, 83-72. Weiss then connected on her milestone layup as time was running out to make the final score 83-74.

For the game the Devils shot 50% from the field, making 23 of 46 shots but were just 2-for-8 from three point range. Wilmington shot 45.2% (28-62) from the field but connected on 57.7% of their three point attempts (15-26). Keeping the Devils in the game was their effort from the charity stripe, making 26 of 30 free throws to Wilmington's 12 of 16. The Devils also held a 38-24 advantage on the glass, but committed 20 turnovers (13 assists) to the Wildcats eight (20 assists).

The Devils return to action on Tuesday, January 27, 2009 when they host Chestnut Hill College in another CACC Southern Division clash. Tip off is set for 6:00 p.m.

Chesnavich Named ECAC Division II Women’s Basketball Player of the Week (1/20/09)

Centerville, Mass. (1/20/09) - University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s basketball junior forward Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly High School/Pittston, Pa.) has added another honor to her Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Player of the Week accolades earned on Monday when she was named today as the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division II women’s Basketball Player of the Week for her performance during the week ending January 18, 2009.

The ECAC is the nation's largest athletic and the only multi-divisional conference in the country with 321 Divisions I, II, and III colleges and universities. The ECAC stretches from Maine to Georgia and westerly to Illinois. Established in 1938, the ECAC, a non-profit service organization, sponsors 98 championships in 37 men's and women's sports. ECAC Division II consists of 41 schools from the Northeast Region conferences (CACC, Northeast-10 Conference, and East Coast Conference (ECC)) as well as some members of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.

Chesnavich averaged 16.0 points per game and 13.0 rebounds/game in leading the Devils to a perfect 2-0 week....

To read more about Erin’s accomplishments last week go to: http://www.usp.edu/athletics/wbb/08wbb/news/Chesnavich-POTW.htm

Firebirds Snap USP's Winning Streak (1/19/09)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's basketball team had their three game winning streak snapped quite handily Monday night at the Bobby Morgan Arena as the nationally ranked University of the District of Columbia Firebirds used a solid second half to cruise to a 63-33 win.

The Devils fall to 7-7 on the season with the loss. The Firebirds, ranked 23rd in the most recent Division II poll, improve to 13-2.

Junior Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) was the lone USP player in double figures, scoring 11 points (4-7 FG, 3-5 FT). Erin also pulled down 13 rebounds for her fifth consecutive double double and eighth of the season. Senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) added nine points and six rebounds while sophomore Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) came off the bench to score seven points and dish out a team high three assists. Senior Autumn Tully (Union-Endicott HS (N.Y.)/Springfield, Pa.) also came off the bench and scored six points to round out USP's scoring. USP's 33 points scored was their lowest output of the season and the fewest points they scored in a game since a 24-point effort against Dominican on January 21, 1996. (lost 63-24)

UDC placed four players in double figures, led by Lillian Mcgill's 13 points and nine rebounds. DeVaughn Hailey added 12 points while LaQuanda Brandon and Nicole Cooper each chipped in 11. Hailey led the Firebirds with five assists while Brandon had a game-high four steals amongst the 15 by UDC.

The Devils finished the game shooting 26%, making just 13 of 50 shot attempts, including an 0-for-12 mark from three-point range. UDC in contrast, made 27 of 69 shots from the field (39.1%) and was 6-for-20 from beyond the arc. USP held a slight advantage on the the free throw line making seven of 10 to UDC's three of five and outrebounded the firebirds 42-40. The Devils however also committed 25 turnovers to UDC's nine and the Firebirds scored 22 of their points off the Devils' miscues.

UDC led by nine at the break, 26-17 and opened the second half with an 18-4 outburst in the first five minutes to take a 23 point lead 44-21. A layup by Erin Chesnavich at the 10:39 mark got USP within 19, 46-27 but that was as close as they would come as the Firebirds closed out the half with a 17-6 run and finished the half outscoring the devils 37-16 to take home the 30-point win, 63-33.

The Devils return to conference action when they host Wilmington University on Saturday, January 24, 2009 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Southern Division matchup. Both teams are currently 4-2 in league play and are tied for third place within the division. Tip off is set for 1:00 p.m.

Devils Win Third Straight (1/17/09)

Three players in double figures, a strong first half finish and the fewest turnovers in a game this season helped propel the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia to a 70-58 win over Nyack College in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference women's basketball game in Nyack New York Saturday afternoon.

The win, USP's third straight improves the Devils record to 7-6 overall and 4-2 in CACC games. Nyack falls to 7-6 overall and 1-4 in league games.

The Devils were paced by sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.). Hamm came off the bench and connected on six of 12 shots from the field (3-3 3FG) and was 4-for-5 from the free throw line for a team high 19 points. Fellow sophomore Melissa Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.) added a career high 16 points and six assists. Junior Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) recorded her fourth consecutive double-double with 16 points and a game-high 15 rebounds (10 offensive). Hamm also added eight rebounds and five steals. Rotz also had a career high with three steals.

As a team the Devils shot 35.7% (25-70) from the field, but was 7-for-10 from three point range (season highs). USP connected on 13 of 17 free throws (76.5%) and dished out 17 assists. The Devils recorded a season low of seven turnovers while forcing 21 by the Warriors. Nyack's 21 turnovers led to 23 USP points to just six off USP's seven miscues. Nyack had the slight advantage shooting wise, connecting on 37.3% (19-51) of their shots and made 12 of 23 from beyond the arc. Nyack also made just eight of 12 free throws. Both teams had 41 rebounds, with the Devils getting more offensive rebounds (19 to 15) than the Warriors. USP's bench gave a solid contribution outscoring Nyack's subs 26-0.

Shelly Yount led the Warriors with 20 points and eight rebounds. Christy Porter added 16 points while Kelsy McIntosh chipped in 14. Victoria Sweet (5 points, 7 rebounds) returned to action for the Warriors and led her team with five assists.

The first half saw two ties and five lead changes before the Devils took control in the final six minutes of the period. Trailing by one, 25-24 with 5:58 left, the Devils went on an 18-1 spurt to finish the half leading by 16 points, 42-26. Freshman Sarah Hickman (Wilmington Christian School/Newark, Del.) started the run with a basket that gave the Devils the lead, 26-25. Rotz and Hamm followed with 3-balls and then a bucket apiece to make the score 36-25. After a Warrior free throw by Yount, Chesnavich connected on two layups and junior Kaitlin DuRoss (Ocean City HS/Sea Isle City, N.J.) closed out the scoring as time expired to complete the run.

Nyack opened the second half with a 9-2 run to cut the margin to single digits, 44-35 at the 17:16 mark. Yount score six of Nyack's nine points. USP countered with a 16-8 spurt to go back up by 17, 60-43 with ten minutes remaining. Nyack rallied back however, scoring 14 straight points to pull within three, 60-57 with 3:45 left. Sweet's trey capped the run. After USP had missed their 12th straight shot, Rotz finally got a field goal for the Devils with a three-pointer at the 2:50 mark to make the score 63-57. Neither team scored again until the final minute of play. USP connected on seven of nine free throws in the final 47 seconds to seal the win, 70-58.

The Devils return to action on Monday, January 19, 2008 when they take on 23rd ranked University of the District of Columbia at the Bobby Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 6:00 p.m.

Devils Hold Off the Lions Charge (1/3/09)

Erin Chesnavich’s layup with 6.1 seconds remaining proved to be the difference as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s basketball team held off the charging Lions of Georgian Court University 50-48 Tuesday night in Lakewood, New Jersey.

The Devils improve to 6-6 overall with the win and 3-2 in Central Atlantic Collegiate conference games. The Lions fall to 6-9 overall and 2-4 in league play.

Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) recorded her third consecutive double-double, finishing the game with 16 points and 11 rebounds. It is her fifth double-double in the last six games and her sixth overall on the season. Senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) led the Devils with 17 points, connecting with four field goals and a 9-for-10 effort from the free throw line. Weiss also led the Devils with five assists. Freshman Sarah Hickman (Wilmington Christian School/ Newark, Del.) had three of USP’s five steals on the night.

Dee Varley and Lauren Staats led GCU with 13 points apiece. Christina White and Patty Foley each pulled down five boards. Varley dished out five assists.

It was Varley’s basket that put the Lions ahead in the second half 36-35 with 7:25 left. GCU’s Dorian Jackson followed with a short jumper to cap a 10-0 run and give the Lion’s a 38-35 lead with 6:33 left in the game. Hickman then connected on USP’s lone three point basket of the game to tie the score at 38-38 with six minutes left. Sophomore Caitlin Shaw (Monmouth Regional HS/ Eatontown, N.J.) then added a traditional three point play to make the score 41-38 with 5:07 left.

Both teams exchanged baskets before Weiss’ two free throws gave the Devils a five point lead 47-42 with 2:42 left. The Lions roared back, going on a 6-1 run to tie the game again at 48-48 with 55 seconds left. GCU missed two opportunities to retake the lead in the final minute with the Devils getting the ball back with 19 seconds left on a miss by Staats. The Devils drove in down court and Weiss found Chesnavich open underneath for a layup off the glass to give the Devils the lead with just over six ticks left on the clock. The Lions had one last chance but Staats’ shot sailed over the rim as time expired and the Devils hung on for the victory, their fourth in their last five games.

USP used a 12 for 22 shooting effort (54.5%) to take a seven point lead at the break, 27-20. The Devils had led by as much as 11 before GCU went on a 6-0 run to pull within five as the half was winding down. Weiss made two free throws to end the 1st half scoring.

For the game, the Devils connected on 19 of 44 shots from the field (43.2%) compared to a 21-for-58 effort by the Lions (36.2%). The Devils held the advantage from the free throw line making 11 of 14 shots to GCU’s 5 of 9 and had a 36-21 advantage on the glass. USP committed 18 turnovers leading to 16 GCU points (12 in the first half). The Lions made 11 miscues leading to eight points by the Devils. Both teams had ten assists on the night.

USP returns to action on Saturday, January 17, 2009 when they travel north to take on Nyack College in a CACC crossover battle. Tip off is set for 1 p.m.

Determined Devils Defeat Deacons (1/10/09)

Erin Chesnavich and Allison Weiss combined for 34 points and 19 rebounds as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s basketball team led wire-to-wire, defeating Bloomfield College, 59-48 Saturday afternoon in Bloomfield, New Jersey.

The Devils improve to 5-6 overall and even their record in Central Atlantic Collegiate conference games at 2-2. Bloomfield suffers their first CACC loss, dropping to 6-6 overall and 3-1 in league play.

Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) connected on 10 of 14 shots from the field to register a game high 22 points. The junior forward also pulled down 12 rebounds to record her fifth double-double of the season and her second consecutive. Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.), a senior forward, added 12 points (4-8 FG, 4-4 FT) and grabbed seven boards. Freshman Sarah Hickman (Wilmington Christian School/Newark, Del.) led the Devils with four assists and two steals. Junior Kaitlin DuRoss (Ocean City HS/Sea Isle City, N.J.) also had two steals.

The Devils took just 39 shots in the game, but made the most of their attempts, connecting on 21 of them (53.8%). Bloomfield also made 21 field goals, in 69 attempts (30.4%). The Devils held a big advantage on the free throw line, connecting on 16 of 20 while the Deacons made just four out of eight. USP held a 35-34 advantage on the glass, mainly on the defensive side (28-12). Bloomfield did finish the game with a better assist/turnover mark with nine assists and 14 turnovers to the Devils 14 assists and 26 miscues.

Nicole Hawkins led the Deacons scoring 12 points all in the second half, shaking off an 0-8 shooting effort in the first 20 minutes of play. Robyn Burton added 11 points. Tiffany Musgrove (six points) led BC with 10 rebounds while Emily Horrocks and Renee Vales had three assists apiece.

The Devils made their first six shot attempts of the game, jumping out to a 15-1 lead. The Deacons then scored eight straight points before the Devils went on an 18-4 spurt to boost their lead to 20, 33-13 late in the period. Chesnavich started the run with a traditional three-point play at the 9:27 mark and ended the run the same way with 1:41 left, accounting for 12 of the Devils 18 points during the spurt. BC’s Shakiyrah Bishop (8 points) ended the run with a three-point field and both teams exchanged baskets in the final seconds to give the Devils a 35-18 lead at the break.

The Devils maintained their double digit advantage throughout most the second half. A pair of free throws by sophomore Melissa Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.)(Five points) gave the Devils a 50-34 lead with 9:28 left. The Deacons then went on a 9-2 run to cut the lead to nine, 52-43 with 5:36 left. A layup by Chesnavich and a pair of free throws followed and the Devils were back up by double digits, 56-43 with 3:58 left. USP connected on three of four free throws down the stretch to seal the win. Bishop connected on a 3-ball with seconds remaining to make the final score 59-48.

The Devils return to action on Tuesday, January 13, 2009 when the travel to Lakewood, New Jersey to take on Georgian Court University. Tip off is set for 7:00 p.m.

Missed Opportunities Lead to a Loss for Devils (1/8/09)

Turnovers and missed layups proved to be the undoing of the Devils as they lost a tightly contested women's basketball game, 60-54 to the Lady Rams of Philadelphia Thursday night at the Bobby Morgan Arena.

The loss drops the Devils record to 4-6 overall and 1-2 in Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference games. The Lady Rams improved to 7-4 overall and 3-1 in league play.

Junior Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) led the Devils with 13 points and 13 rebounds, her fourth double-double of the season. Freshman Sarah Hickman (Wilmington Christian School/Newark, Del.) and senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) each had nine points. Chesnavich also led the Devils with three assists. Hickman's nine points were a career-high. Junior Kaitlin DuRoss (Ocean City HS/Sea Isle City, N.J.) also pulled down a career high seven rebounds.

The Devils made just 24 of 63 shots from the field (38.1%) and were just 1-for-10 from beyond the three-point arc. 16 of USP's 39 missed shots were layup attempts. USP also made just five of six free throws on the night and committed 21 turnovers which led to 20 points by the opposition. USP did hold a 36-26 rebounding advantage (21-8 on the offensive glass).

The Rams recorded one less turnover than the Devils (20) which led to just 11 USP points. Philadelphia finished the evening shooting 50% (21-42, 4-7 3 FG) from the field and converted 14 of 18 free throws.

Jessica Romano led the Lady Rams with 16 points and seven rebounds. Stephanie Agger added 14 points while Kate Brennan chipped in 10 points.

In the opening half, neither team led by more than five until Philadelphia took a seven point lead late in the period. Hickman's trey cut the deficit to four at the break 32-28.

Chesnavich opened the second half with a basket to pull the Devils within two, 32-30 before PU went on a 14-7 run to take their biggest lead of nine points 46-37 with 13:55 left. The Lady Rams still led by nine 50-41 when the Devils went on an 8-1 run to pull within two 51-49 with 5:26 left. Sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) started the run with a layup and was followed by a basket from Hickman. Sophomore Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) and Hickman closed out the run with a jumper and layup respectively. The Devils then had the first of two opportunities to tie the game after forcing a PU turnover only to turn the ball back over to the Lady Rams who took advantage and boosted the lead back to four, 53-49.

Two minutes later the Devils again closed within two, 54-52 on a Caitlin Shaw (Monmouth Regional HS/Eatontown, N.J.) free throw, forced a turnover and turned the ball back over again, leading to two more points for the Rams as time was starting to wind down. Sophomore Melissa Rotz' (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.) jumper again pulled the Devils within two, 56-54 with 59 seconds left but a basket by Taylor Magnus and two free throws by Amanda Brennan sealed the six-point win for the Rams, 60-54.

The Devils return to action on Saturday, January 10, 2009 when they travel north to take on Bloomfield College in a CACC cross division contest. Tip off is set for 1:00 p.m.

Christian Banks a Come-from-behind Win for Devils (12/16/08)

Colleen Christian sank a 24-foot bank shot from the left side as the buzzer sounded to cap a 53-50 come-from-behind win over St. Thomas Aquinas College for the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's basketball team Tuesday night at the Bobby Morgan Arena.

For the sophomore Christian (Central Bucks South HS/Warrington, Pa.) , it was her only field goal of the game and was a fitting finale for the Devils who trailed for most of the second half and were behind by as many as nine late in the game. Christian finished the game with four points. Junior Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) led the Devils (4-5) with 12 points (4-8 FG, 4-4 FT) and nine rebounds. Senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) added nine points.

Briana Sloper led the Spartans (2-7), scoring 13 points off the bench. Kaitlin Page and Colleen Vogel added nine points apiece. Vogel led the team with eight rebounds.

Page's field goal put the Spartans on top early in the second half and the visitors continued to lead, gradually building their margin to five, then seven and finally nine points, 46-37 with 6:38 left. USP then started a 16-4 run which concluded with Christian's buzzer-beating trey. Two baskets, a layup and a 15 foot jumper by Chesnavich started the run, pulling the Devils within five 46-41. Christian then made the first of two free throws to make the score 46-42 with 2:59 left. After STAC's third turnover in their last four possessions, Chesnavich was fouled and calmly made both free throws to make the score 46-44 with 2:13 left. Sloper broke USP's run of seven straight points by making the first of two free throws to boost the lead back to three, 47-44 where it remained until the final minute.

Trailing by three with less than a minute to go, the Devils started fouling. STAC's Theresa Dowling went to the line and made just the front end-of the one-and-one to make the score 48-44 with 49 seconds left but the Spartans recovered the offensive rebound and took some more time off the clock before Dowling was fouled again. This time she missed the front end of the one-and-one and the Devils quickly brought the ball upcourt. Sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) made a driving layup with 30 seconds left, was fouled but missed the free throw leaving the Devils trailing by two, 48-46. Dowling was again fouled and again made only one free throw to give STAC a 49-46 lead with 18 ticks on the clock. USP brought the ball down, called their last timeout to set up a potential three-point shot to tie the game. That shot wasn't there but sophomore Melissa Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.) was open underneath and made the layup and was fouled with 11.3 seconds left. The free throw was off the mark and the Devils again fouled quickly. Page made one of two shots from the charity stripe with nine seconds left and the Devils, now out of timeouts, had to bring the ball up quickly. Rotz (6 points) drove the lane and sank a short six foot straight on bank shot to tie the game at 50-50 with 2.3 seconds left. Vogel was then called for an offensive foul with 1.6 seconds left, giving the Devils one last shot. Christian inbounded the ball to Weiss who passed a back to Christian who launched a high arcing shot which was still in the air as the buzzer sounded. The ball kissed off the glass and in for the score and a 53-50 USP win. The Devils made six of their final 10 shots while the Spartans was held without a field goal (0-3) and were 4-8 from the charity stripe in the final 6:38.

Christian's trey was just the second in 13 attempts on the night for the Devils who shot a dismal 32.1% from the field (18-56). Just five of the Devils 18 field goals came from outside the paint as they outscored scored STAC inside, 26-16 in the paint. STAC connected on 18 of 44 shots (40.9%) from the field and was 4-for-13 from beyond the arc. USP made 15 of 22 free throws to the Spartans' 10 of 24. and had a better assist/turnover ration 11/20 to 12/26. STAC held the advantage on the glass, 42-35.

USP is now off for the Christmas holiday and shall return to action on January 8, 2009 when they host area and CACC rival Philadelphia University at the Bobby Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 6:00 p.m.

Devils Dominate Second Half in Win over Eagles (12/13/08)

A solid second half turned a two-point game into a rout as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia defeated Post University 70-41 in a Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference women's basketball game Saturday at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

The Devils improve to 3-5 overall and 1-1 in CACC games with the win. Post falls to 1-9 overall and 0-2 in league play.

USP's front court duo of senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) and junior Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) both recorded double-doubles finishing the game with identical marks of 14 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) came off the bench to score 10 points and grab nine boards while fellow sophomores Caitlin Shaw (Monmouth Regional HS/Eatontown, N.J.) and Colleen Christian (Central Bucks South HS/Warrington, Pa.) had eight points apiece. Christian and sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) led USP with four assists apiece while Hamm recorded three steals on the afternoon.

USP shot 17-for-30 (57.7%) in the second half and finished the game shooting 44.8% (26-58, 4-9 3FG). Post finished the game shooting 27.8% (15-54, 9-26 3FG). The Devils dominated on the free throw line connecting on 14 of 23 shots while the Eagles went to the line just twice (in the first half) and made two of four shots. USP also dominated on the glass, outrebounding their opponent 53-24. Both teams posted 14 turnovers with the Devils having a slight advantage in the assist/turnover margin with 20 assists to Post's 14.

The Eagles were led by Mallorie Michalak's and Elizabeth Johnson's nine points apiece. Taylor Doyle added eight points while Jackie sutton chipped in Seven. Stephanie Goss led the Eagles with eight rebounds and three steals while Michalak dished out a game-high six assists.

USP used a 16-5 run early in the second half to take control of the game. Leading by just two points at the break, 22-20, Post's Sutton tied the game with a basket to open the final stanza. Weiss followed with three straight layups and the run was on. Hamm's 3-ball at the 16:18 mark boosted the lead to seven 31-24 before Doyle countered with a three to pull the Eagles back within four. USP then ran off seven straight points capped by two Christian baskets to complete the run and give the Devils a 38-27 lead.

Post came back and cut the lead to seven 39-32 midway through the period before the Devils put the game out of reach with a 22-3 spurt over the next eight minutes. A basket apiece by the Chesnavich sisters and a 3-ball by freshman Sarah Hickman (Wilmington Christian School/Newark, Del.) started the run and gave the Devils a 46-32 lead at the 8:56 mark. Michalak then scored the Eagles only points during this 8 1/2 minute run by USP with a three-point basket. The Devils then scored the next 15 points to lead 61-35 with just 1:51 left. USP senior Brittany Parsons (Villa Joseph Marie HS/Ivyland, Pa.) then accounted for five of the Devils final nine points as they closed out the game making their last four shots of the game (6-6 over the final 2:21) to earn their first conference win of the season, 70-41.

In the opening period, Post's four three-point field goals provided some early offense and helped keep the game close as the half progressed. Post had jumped out to an 11-5 lead and held the advantage until a Shaw layup with 6:05 left put the Devils on top 18-17. The Devils boosted the lead to four late in the half before heading into the locker room with a 22-20 lead at halftime.

USP returns to action on Tuesday, December 16, 2008 when the host Saint Thomas Aquinas College in a non conference regional match-up. Tip off is set for 6:00 p.m.

Tigers Defeat Devils (12/3/08)

In a battle between the two best shooting teams in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference, holy Family University had the upper hand as they defeated the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia 67-49 in the CACC women’s basketball opener for both teams Wednesday night at the Campus Center in northeast Philadelphia.

The loss, USP’s fourth straight drops the Devils record to 2-5 overall and 0-1 in league play. Holy Family improves to 5-3 and 1-0 in conference games.

The Devils again were led by junior forward Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.). Chesnavich recorded her second double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds. The CACC’s leading field goal shooter connected on eight of 14 shots from the field and was 3-for-3 from the free throw line. Chesnavich also added three blocked shots and was the lone USP player to reach double figures. Sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) led the Devils with four assists.

Catherine Carr led a trio of Tigers in double figures with 17 points (7-19 FG). Christine McCollum and Melissa Brooks each added 12 points. McCollum and Lauren Boyer led the Tigers with seven rebounds apiece. Boyer also led all players with six assists.

Holy Family scored the games first nine points and made seven of their first 12 shots en route to as 16-4 start. The Devils countered with a 10-2 run capped by a traditional three-point play by Chesnavich to pull within four 18-14 with 9:08 left. The Tigers jumped back out in front by 12 before three baskets by senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) put the Devils back within six 28-22 with 2:42 left. A defensive stop gave USP a chance to cut the lead to four but Weiss missed a layup attempt and Carr followed with two three-point field goals to make the score 34-22 at the break.

The Tigers opened with a 7-2 run in the second half to boost their lead to 17, 41-24 before USP again cut the lead to 12, 45-33 at the 14:57 mark which was as close as the Devils would get the rest of the way. The Tigers boosted the lead to 19, 56-37 midway through the period before settling in for the 18 point win.

For the game, the Devils connected on 19 of 55 shots from the field (34.5%) while the Tigers made 25 of 61 (41%) including a 6-for-24 mark from beyond the arc. Both teams shot exceptionally well from the free throw line with the Tigers making all 11 of their shots and the Devils making nine of 10. The Devils held a 41-32 advantage on the glass which included 18 offensive boards. Holy Family had the better assist/turnover margin (19-10) to USP’s (14-20)

USP returns to action on Saturday, December 13, 2008 when they host Post University at the bobby Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 1:00 p.m.

Marauders Send Devils to Third Straight Loss (11/24/08)

Millersville University dominated the offensive glass and took advantage of 39 turnovers by the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's basketball team as they cruised to a 67-45 victory over the Devils Monday night at Pucillo Gymnasium in Millersville, Pennsylvania.

The loss, USP's third straight, drops the Devils record to 2-4 overall. Millersville improves to 4-0 overall with the win, their 17th consecutive regular season victory dating back to last year.

The Marauders scored 37 points off of USP's 39 turnovers, 19 in the first half as they scored the first seven points of the game and jumped out to an 18-4 just eight minutes into the half. Millersville boosted their lead to 18, 25-7 before the Devils scored the next eight points to pull within 10, 25-15 with 5:09 left. The Marauders outscored the Devils 9-5 over the final five minutes to lead at the break, 34-20.

In the second half, second chances played a role as the Marauders had 16 offensive rebounds leading to 14 second chance points. USP did pull within 12, 40-28 in the opening four minutes of the period but a 13-0 run by the Marauders boosted the lead to 25, 53-28 and the Devils never pulled any closer than 22 the rest of the way which was the final margin of victory, 67-45.

Junior Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) led all scorers with 16 points, making all six of her shots from the field and going a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line. Sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) added nine points. Chesnavich also led the Devils with six rebounds.

Jenna Craig and Gladine St. Julien led Millersville with 13 and 12 points respectively.

For the game, the Devils shot 50% from the field (17-34) and made 11 of 14 free throws (78.6%). Millersville took over twice as many shots as the Devils, making 34.2% (26-76) and were 9-for-15 from the free throw line (60%). The Marauders also made 6 of 15 shots from beyond the arc while USP failed to make in 'three' in five attempts. The Devils were outrebounded 41-31 (29-6 on the offensive glass) and committed 39 turnovers (8 assists) to Millersville's 22 (15 assists).

The Devils return to action on Wednesday, December 3, 2008 when they open their Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference schedule against area rival and defending CACC champions Holy Family University at their Campus Center in northeast Philadelphia. Tip off is set for 6:00 p.m.

Long Ball Does in Devils (11/22/08)

Kutztown University made eight three-point shots as they defeated the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's basketball team 64-52 Saturday afternoon at the Bobby Morgan arena in Philadelphia.

Kutztown improves to 2-0 with the win. USP falls to 2-3 with their second straight loss.

KU's Rachel Wisemuller led the assault, hitting four 3-balls en route to a team high 15 points. Meredith Starr added 11 points. Thirty-eight of the Golden Bear's 52 points from field goals came from outside the paint - 24 from three-point range.

For the fourth straight game, the Devils were led by junior Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.). Chesnavich connected on seven of 13 shots from the field for 17 points to become the only USP player in double figures. Sophomores Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) and Caitlin Shaw (Monmouth Regional HS/Eatontown, N.J.) added eight points apiece while freshman Sarah Hickman (Wilmington Christian School/Newark, Del.) contributed six off the bench. Hamm also led the Devils with five assists and five steals. Senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/ Springfield, Pa.) had a game high 10 rebounds.

Wisemuller opened the game with a trey and the Golden Bears outside attack was on. Kutztown never trailed and opened a nine point lead 19-10 with nine minutes to go in the period. The lead grew to as much as 12 before Hamm made a running jumper in the paint with 28 seconds left to make the score 29-19 at the break.

Chesnavich opened the second half with two layups to cut the deficit to six 29-23. Kutztown countered with a 7-2 run to go back up by 11 36-25 with 16:45 left. Over the next six minutes, USP outscored KU 12-5 to pull within four 41-37 at the 10:23 mark as Hickman provided the spark with five points during the run. A quick basket by KU's Hannah Mertz and two straight trey's by Wisemuller expanded the Golden Bears lead back to 12, 49-37 with 8:17 left. The Devils pulled back to within six, 52-46 with seven straight points but that was as close as they would come in the final five minutes of play. Kutztown converted eight of 10 free throws in the final four minutes to provide their final 12-point margin of victory, 64-52.

Kutztown shot 40% fro the game (22-55) and made eight of 22 (36.4%) from beyond the three-point arc. USP made just 20 of 59 shots (33.9%) and was 1-for-8 from downtown. Free throws were about even with Kutztown shooting 12-16 (75%) and USP 11-18 (61.1%). The Devils committed 22 turnovers (17 in the first half) while KU finished the game with 20 (12 first half). KU had the better passing game with 17 assists to USP's 11 while the Devils held a 42-37 advantage on the boards.

USP will play their fourth consecutive game against a PSAC opponent on Monday, November 24, 2008 when they travel to face Millersville University. Tip off is set for 6:00 p.m.

Warriors Rally to Defeat Devils (11/20/08)

East Stroudsburg University rallied from a nine point deficit in the second half to defeat the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's basketball team 76-68 Thursday night at the Bobby Morgan arena in Philadelphia.

The loss drops the Devils record to 2-2 while East Stroudsburg earns their first win an improves to 1-2.

Junior Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) led all scorers with 25 points (10-16 FG, 5-7 FT) while pulling down a team-high seven rebounds. Sophomore Caitlin Shaw (Monmouth Regional HS/Eatontown, N.J.) added 17 points along with notching four steals. Sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) led the Devils with six assists, while Chesnavich had three blocks.

DeAnna Rayam led the Warriors with 20 points. Kristen Murray chipped in 16 off the bench while Mel Villano and Jackie Yandrisevits added 12 and 10 respectively. Alexa Detzi paced ESU on the glass with eight boards while Keri Cahill dished out seven assists.

For the second consecutive game, the Devils started out slow, trailing 10-2 just 3:32 into the contest. USP also battled back to take a 12-11 lead with 11:26 left, the first of seven lead changes in the half. After a Chesnavich layup produced the final lead change giving USP a 24-23 lead, the Warriors went on a 10-1 run to lead by eight 33-25 before the Devils cut the lead in half at the break 33-29.

USP opened the second half with a bang, embarking in a 19-6 run to take a nine point lead 48-39 with 14:53. remaining The Devils shot a perfect 6-for-6 from the field during the run and made six of seven free throws. East Stroudsburg countered with nine straight points over the next 2:17 to tie the game for the fourth time at 48-48. The game was still tied at 59-59 at the 8:06 mark when the Warriors went on an 8-1 run to take control down the stretch, leading 67-60 with 4:03 left. The Devils could get no closer than five the rest of the way as the Warriors made 7 of 10 free throws in the final 2:26 to seal the eight point win, 76-68.

Both teams were nearly equal in their shooting efforts with the Devils hitting 48.9% (23-47) of their shots to ESU's 48.1% (25-52). ESU however made 60% (6-10) of their three-point shots while USP was just 1-for-4 (25%). From the charity stripe USP made 21of 31 (67.7%) while ESU was 20 of 29 (69%). USP held a 32-31 advantage on the boards but were again plagued by turnovers committing 20 in the first half en route to 30 for the game. ESU had 23. Both teams had 16 assists.

USP returns to action on Saturday, November 22, 2008 when they face Kutztown University at the Bobby Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 1:00 p.m.

Strong Shooting Propels Devils to Win (11/18/08)

A solid second half shooting effort from the field and the free throw line propelled the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's basketball team to a 65-55 win over West Chester University Tuesday night at the Bobby Morgan Arena in Philadelphia.

USP improves to 2-1 with the win while West Chester drops to 2-1.

The Devils who trailed by one at the break, 32-31, hit 10 of 18 shots from the field in the second half (55.6%) and did not miss a free throw shot in 12 attempts. For the game, the Devils shot 52.3% (23-44, 3-5 3FG) from the field and 88.9% from the free throw line (16-18). West Chester made just 23 of 65 shots (35.4%) from the field and were 5-6 from the charity stripe.

Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) recorded her first double-double of the season with 22 points and 10 rebounds. The junior center also added five blocked shots and a pair of steals. Sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) recorded a career high 20 points (6-10 FG, 3-4 3 FG) and added seven steals on the night. Sophomore Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) joined her sister and Hamm in double figures with a 12 point effort (4-7 FG, 4-4 FT). Sophomore Colleen Christian (Central Bucks South HS/Warrington, Pa.) led the Devils with four assists. Senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/ Springfield, Pa.) contributed six points and six rebounds.

Megan Stewart led West Chester with 15 points. Dana Weems contributed 12 points, four steals and a team-high eight rebounds while Janelle Garber added 10 points and pulled down seven boards. Bridget Carlin led the Golden Rams with seven assists.

The Golden Rams outscored the Devils 13-2 in first three minutes of play only to see USP battle back with a 17-5 run to take their first lead, 19-18 at the 9:53 mark. The lead changed six times over the final half of the period with West Chester coming out on top 32-31 at the break.

Garber's basket put WCU up by three to open the second half before a Hamm trey tied the game at 34-34. The Devils then went on a 12-4 to take an eight point lead 46-38 with Erin Chesnavich getting eight of the 12 points during the run. Two quick Golden Ram baskets cut the lead in half before a Hamm bucket and a pair of free throws from the older Chesnavich put the margin back to eight 50-42 with 10:51 left. West Chester then battled back with a 7-2 spurt to pull within three 52-49 with 5:17 left but another Hamm 3-ball doubled the margin back to six. West Chester could only close within four as the Devils outscored the Golden Rams 8-2 over the final 2:20 to seal the win 65-55.

The Devils return to action on Thursday, November 20, 2008 when they host East Stroudsburg University at the Bobby Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 6:00 p.m.

Devils Earn Win over Briarcliffe (11/16/08)
Chesnavich Earns All-Tournament Team Honors

Erin Chesnavich led three players in double figures as the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women’s basketball team cruised to an 83-34 victory over Briarcliffe College in the consolation game of the James A. Richardson Tip-Off Tournament at Lincoln University on Sunday.

USP improves to 1-1 with the win. Briarcliffe falls to 0-2.

Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) connected on 10 of 12 shots from the field en route to a game high 22 points. Erin's efforts in Sunday's game earned her a spot on the All-Tournament Team. Joining the junior center in double figures was senior forward Autumn Tully (Union-Endicott HS (N.Y.)/Springfield, Pa.). Tully came off the bench to score eight points in just four minutes of play in the first half and added three more in the second to finish with 11. Autumn also had six rebounds and three steals. Sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) added 10 points to go along with her game-high four steals. Sophomore Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) led the Devils with nine rebounds while senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/ Springfield, Pa.) dished out six assists.

Leona Virgo led Briarcliffe with 10 points and 12 rebounds.

The Devils jumped out to a 21-4 lead in the first six-plus minutes of play and never looked back. Briarcliffe did pull within 11, 33-22 with 6:12 left in the period before the Devils closed out the half with a 19-4 spurt to take a 26-point lead at the break 52-26.

USP increased the lead to 31, 62-31 with 13:10 left in the game before finishing off the period with a 21-3 run, including 17 straight points to close out the 49-point win, 83-34.

For the game, the Devils shot 50% from the field (34-68) and were 12 of 18 from the foul line (66.7%). Briarcliffe made just 12 of 34 shots from the field (18.8%) including a 3 for 31 mark (9.7%) in 2nd half.

USP returns to action on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 when they take on West Chester University at the Bobby Morgan Arena. Tip off is set for 6:00 p.m.

Devils Drop Season Opener to St. Rose (11/15/08)

The Golden Knights of the College of St. Rose used a 24-4 run over a seven minute stretch spanning the two halves to defeat the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia women's basketball team 79-48 in the opening game of the James A. Richardson Tip-Off Tournament at Lincoln University Saturday afternoon.

St. Rose advances to play Lincoln University on Sunday in the championship game. The Lady Lions were a 69-53 victor over Briarcliffe College who will be the Devils opponent in the consolation game.

USP trailed by eight 26-18 with 4:19 left in the first half before the Golden Knights scored the final 10 points of the period to lead 36-18 at the break. St. Rose then opened the second half with a 14-4 run over the first 2:47 to lead 50-22 before increasing the lead to 37 five minutes before the final buzzer sounded before settling in for the 31-point win. 38 of St. Rose's 79 points came off of USP's 32 turnovers in the game. The Devils scored 12 points off turnovers by the Golden Knights.

Senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.) was the lone USP player in double figures, leading all scorers in the game with 16 points (8-9 FT). Weiss also led the Devils with seven rebounds. Sophomore Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) came off the bench to score eight points while sophomore Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) chipped in seven. Senior Autumn Tully (Union-Endicott HS (N.Y.)/Springfield, Pa.) and junior Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) each had six points for the Devils. Freshman Sarah Hickman (Wilmington Christian School/Newark, Del.) led the Devils in assists with three while playing only the last five minutes of the game.

The Golden Knights placed four players in double figures led by Lauren Revesz's 14 points. Ashley Rath also contributed 14 points off the bench (4-6 3FG) as part of a 38-point effort by the St. Rose reserves. Elizabeth Buckley and Dana Brown added 10 points apiece. Amy Voelkel led St. Rose with seven rebounds while Lynsey Timbrouck dished out seven assists and had four steals.

USP will face Briarcliffe College in the consolation game of the James A. Richardson Tip-Off Tournament on Sunday, November 16, 2008 at Lincoln University. Tip off is set for 1:00 p.m.

Women’s Basketball Team Picked Fourth in Pre-Season Poll (11/2/08)

The University of the Sciences in Philadelphia men’s basketball team has been picked fourth in the 2008-09 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Pre-Season basketball poll released late Friday afternoon. The conference’s 13 head coaches conducted the voting.

USP received 60 votes in the poll behind Wilmington University’s 62. Holy Family University was a unanimous choice to win the Southern Division getting all 13 first-place votes after going 32-1 last season. Philadelphia University was picked second, with 71 points.

Dominican College earned the top spot in the Northern Division, garnering nine of the 13 first place votes and 72 points. Bloomfield College picked up three first place votes and was second with 62 points, edging out Caldwell College who got the remaining first place vote and finished third in the balloting with 61 votes.

The Devils return all five starters and eleven letter winners from last year’s squad. In 2007-08 USP recorded a 13-15 record and a 10-8 league mark, finishing in fourth place before losing in the opening round of the CACC playoffs to eventual champion Holy Family University.

Leading the way for USP will be the All-CACC front court duo of junior Erin Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) and senior Allison Weiss (Springfield HS/Springfield, Pa.). Chesnavich, a first team All-CACC selection last year, led the Devils in scoring, averaging 14.2 points per game and was the top field goal shooter in the CACC, hitting 55.8% of her shots. Weiss, a third team All-CACC honoree last year, was second in the league in field goal percentage (53.5%) and led the Devils in rebounding (8.93 per game) and assists (113).

A quintet of sophomores will also see significant playing time as they vie for the remaining three starting positions. Caitlin Shaw (Monmouth Regional HS/Eatontown, N.J.) was USP’s third leading scorer and rebounder last season, averaging 10.5 and 4.3 respectively. Marissa Chesnavich (Bishop O’Reilly HS/Pittston, Pa.) started 23 games last season while averaging 4.6 points per game. Colleen Christian (Central Bucks South HS/Warrington, Pa.) started 12 games and led the Devils in three-point field goals with 38 while averaging 7.4 points per game. Also in the backcourt will be Alyssa Hamm (Academy Park HS/Sharon Hill, Pa.) and Melissa Rotz (Central Dauphin HS/Harrisburg, Pa.). Both averaged nearly 18 minutes a game last season. Hamm was the Devils best three-point shooter percentage-wise hitting 31.4%(22-70) of her shots. Rotz started 16 times last season and was fourth on the team in assists.

USP opens its season at the Lincoln University tournament on November 15, 2008 where they will face Division II regional opponent College of St. Rose in the opening round.

For the complete poll click: http://www.caccathletics.org/sports/wbkb/2008-09/News/pre.poll.10-31-08

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