Dana D'Ambrosio
Dana D'Ambrosio

Brandywine Storms Back In Final Quarter To Top Hazleton

MEDIA, Pa. -- Paced by 11 points from Dana D'Ambrosio (Secane, Pa./Ridley), the Penn State Brandywine women's basketball team outscored Penn State Hazleton 29-15 during the final quarter to claim a 72-68 victory Saturday afternoon.

The Lions faced a 13-point deficit with 2:03 to go in the third quarter and trailed by 10 points entering the final stanza. Hazleton held a 12-point edge with 6:52 remaining, but D'Ambrosio's free throw started a run of eight-straight Brandywine points to cut the deficit to just four.

Dairayonna Stewart-Harold (New Castle, Del./William Penn) made the score 59-56 by canning a jumper at the 5:09 mark before D'Ambrosio grabbed an offensive rebound during the Lions' next possession and sank a layup to pull Brandywine within two.

Another D'Ambrosio basket knotted the score at 60-60 with 4:17 to play, but Hazleton's Brianna Clark answered by converting a three-point play to put the visitors back on top.

Brandywine countered with a three-pointer from Nikki Velez (Gloucester, N.J./Gloucester City) to tie the game. Velez knocked down 1-of-2 free throws during the next possession to put Brandywine in front for the first time since early in the first quarter.

The Lions held a two-point edge with under one minute remaining when Stewart-Harold collected a steal and fast-break layup to double the margin.

Hazleton cut the Lions' lead to 70-68 with 18 seconds to play, but D'Ambrosio knocked down two free throws and forced a Hazleton missed shot during the final possession to secure the victory.

D'Ambrosio paced Brandywine with 18 points, seven rebounds and three steals, while Floyd produced a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double. Velez (11 points), Stewart-Harold (10) and Madison D'Ambrosio (Springfield, Pa./Springfield), who netted 12 points, also reached double figures in scoring. Amelia Brooks (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) tallied nine rebounds and blocked three shots.

Brandywine was limited to 28 percent shooting, but pulled in 27 offensive rebounds and forced 26 Hazleton turnovers.

The Lions are on the road Tuesday with first place in the PSUAC East Division on the line against Penn State Lehigh Valley (6:00 pm).