LANCASTER, Pa. – Despite a strong second half where they outscored the hosts, the Salisbury University women's basketball team could not overcome the deficit, falling to the Franklin & Marshall Diplomats 51-47 Saturday at the Mayser Center.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Diplomats offense started the contest in a groove, going on a 14-2 run. The lone Sea Gull basket came via Kayla Nieberlein as she made a layup just over a minute into the game.
• Salisbury silenced the Franklin & Marshall offense with a 7-2 run of their own to close out the opening quarter. Abby Plaugher knocked down a three and Nicole Miller made a layup while Tatiana Virata added two free throws to bring it within seven.
• The second quarter was nearly identical to the first as the Diplomats added another 16 points to the board while holding the Sea Gulls to just six. Jen Juhring and Hailey Ader scored from the floor for Salisbury while Sym Deloatch provided points at the charity stripe.
• The Sea Gulls came out of halftime in a rhythm, opening up the half with a three-pointer by Ader to start a 7-3 run. Deloatch led the platoon of Salisbury scorers with six points in the quarter.
• The fourth quarter proved closer than the other three as both teams battled back and forth. Tori Rumbaugh scored five consecutive points to bring Salisbury within three with three minutes left to go.
• As the Diplomats attempted to extend their lead again, Miller and Rumbaugh answered back to keep it a three-point game. The two defenses locked down and only a single point was scored in the final 1:44 of the game as Kayla McCrea hit a free throw to give the Diplomats a four-point lead with six seconds left.

 
SALISBURY GAME NOTES

• Sym Deloatch scored a team-high 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting, adding two rebounds and an assist.
• Tori Rumbaugh led the team with five assists while providing seven points and four rebounds.
• Jen Juhring grabbed a team-high seven rebounds while dishing out an assist and scoring four points on 2-of-2 shooting.
• The Sea Gulls went 19-of-49 from the floor, 3-of-10 from beyond the arc, and 6-of-12 at the free throw line.

 
FRANKLIN & MARSHALL GAME NOTES

• Quinn Galligan scored a game-high 12 points, going 6-of-12 from the floor while providing two assists.
• Ally Trebelev added 10 points while securing a game-high 9 rebounds and added an assist.
• Kayla McCrea provided 10 points on 3-of-5 shooting overall, including 4-of-6 at the free throw line, while also grabbing four rebounds and dished out three assists.
• The Diplomats went 21-of-56 overall, 1-of-12 from three, and 8-of-12 at the charity stripe.

 
UP NEXT

• The Sea Gulls host the Captains of Christopher Newport for their annual alumni game on Saturday, Jan. 13.
• The game is scheduled to tip-off at 2 p.m. at the Maggs Physical Activities Center.

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Salisbury University is a proud member of NCAA Division III with primary membership in the Coast-to-Coast Athletic Conference, along with the New Jersey Athletic Conference for football and men's and women's swimming, and the Coastal Lacrosse Conference for men's lacrosse. With over 500 student-athletes in 21 varsity sports, SU is recognized as one of the most competitive intercollegiate athletics programs regardless of division, featuring dedicated coaches and staff that foster excellence on and off the field. The Sea Gulls have celebrated 23 team national championships, 24 individual national champions, 197 conference championships, and 45 Academic All-Americans.
To Make Tomorrow Yours at Salisbury University, and learn more about Sea Gull Athletics' tradition of excellence, visit www.SUSeaGulls.com or follow on social media @SUSeaGulls.