ROSER FINISHES WITH 32 POINTS AND 31 REBOUNDS IN OT VICTORY

(Aurora, N.Y.)─ Wells College women's basketball player Ashley Roser (Taberg, N.Y./Camden) had an afternoon she will not soon forget. The freshmen finished with 32 points, 31 rebounds, and six assists, leading the Express to a hard fought 69-68 overtime victory against the Penn. St. Berks Nittany Lions on Sunday afternoon in Aurora.  With the victory the Express improve to 4-19 (4-16 NEAC), while the Nittany Lions fall to 11-12 (10-10 NEAC).
 
Kristen Ryan (Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Ludden) chipped in with 13 points, four rebounds, and three assists, while Gabrielle Palozzola (Syracuse, N.Y./Bishop Ludden) added 11 points and four blocks for the Express.
 
Shakiyla Stone (Philadelphia, Pa./Simon Gratz) led the Nittany Lions with 16 points, 10 steals, and six assists. Steph Binder (Reading, Pa./Wilson) added 12 points and Emily Pufnock (Birdsboro, Pa./St. Pius X) chipped with 10 points to round-out the scoring for Berks.
 
The Express held a sizable advantage on the glass, 62-48, while holding the Nittany Lions to 26.8 percent shooting on 82 attempts.
 
Everything seemed to be going the Express way in the first half. Wells shot 50 percent from the floor and would lead by as many as 14 points.  But with less than three minutes remaining the Nittany Lions rattled off a 9-0 run, closing the gap to two (33-31) heading into the break. Roser was impressive in the half, finishing with 18 boards and 13 points.
 
The Nittany Lions picked up where they left off in the first half, scoring five straight points en route to a 39-35 lead.  The Express would battle back; a lay-up by Kelly Cornwell (Caledonia, N.Y./Caledonia-Mumford) and jumpers by Ashley Mercure (Granville, N.Y./Hartford) and Roser put the Express back in front 40-39. The two teams played neck and neck the rest of the half, with neither side able to take more than a four point lead.
 
Despite the back and forth battle, the Express would find themselves on the short end down 60-56 with less than two minutes to play. Roser came up huge down the stretch, hitting two free-throws to pull the Express to within two, before finishing a lay-up on great pass from Ryan to tie the game at 60-60, forcing overtime.
 
Tied at 62 in overtime, Kristen Ryan drilled a three-pointer giving the Express the lead and the momentum. The Express stretched their lead to four (69-65) with 14 seconds remaining. Berks would hit a 3-pointer with four seconds to play but, on the ensuing inbounds, the Express were able to throw it down court, running the clock out and preserving the conference victory.
 
Playing with four fouls, Roser played just 12 minutes in the second half and five minutes in overtime, combing for 19 points and 13 rebounds in 17 minutes. 
 
The Express return to action on Feb. 19 against NEAC opponent Penn. St. Harrisburg with the game set to tip at 12 p.m. in Harrisburg, Pa.