CENTER VALLEY, PA – Leading by eight at the half, No. 16 DeSales University outscored the Wilkes University women's basketball team 31-18 over the final two quarters on way to a 57-36 Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom victory Wednesday night at Billera Hall.
 
Wilkes slipped to 2-6 overall and 1-1 in MAC Freedom play following the road defeat. DeSales remained unbeaten standing 8-0 overall and 3-0 in league contests.
 
DeSales wasted little time taking the lead as the Bulldogs scored the game's first eight points taking an 11-1 lead four minutes into the first quarter. Back-to-back scores from Julia Marino (Washington Township, NJ/Washington Township) and Yamirelis Matos (Springfield, MA/Chicopee) cut the deficit to 13-7 with 2:07 on the first quarter clock. DeSales would notch one final score to take a 15-7 advantage after one quarter of play.
 
The lead grew to 13 points early in the second frame before a three-pointer from Julianna Askins (Carlisle, PA/Carlisle) and a Jordyn Jennings (York, PA/Northeastern) jumper brought the Colonels to within six trailing 22-16 with 3:03 left in the half. Two Bulldog buckets in between a pair of free throws from Wilkes gave the hosts a 26-18 lead at the break.
 
Wilkes continued to match scores with DeSales as another trey from Askins and a jumper from Matos kept the Colonels within striking distance trailing 39-29 with 2:06 remaining in the third. After one free throw from Askins, Matos knocked down another mid-range jump shot as Wilkes trailed 43-32 after three quarters of play.
 
DeSales then took over the game in the final stanza limiting Wilkes to just four total points over the final ten minutes of action while outscoring the Colonels by ten points. A three-point play from Askins and one free throw from Kendra Smith (Hughesville, PA/Hughesville) were the lone points in the quarter for the Colonels.
 
Matos and Askins were the two Colonels to reach double figures as Matos notched a team-high 11 points and eight rebounds while Askins poured in a season-high 10 points and seven rebounds.
 
Megan Bealer led all DeSales players with a game-high 19 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Lindsey Welsh followed with 11 points and six rebounds.
 
Wilkes was plagued by a season-high 33 turnovers throughout the game while only shooting 28.3 percent from the field including the deciding fourth quarter (9.1 percent from the floor.).
 
Wilkes returns to MAC Freedom play Saturday when the Colonels host FDU-Florham at 1:00 p.m. at the Marts Center.