In an exciting showdown in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Maddie Albrecht contributed a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds as Lehigh secured the Patriot League Tournament title. Her teammates Colleen McQuillen and Lily Fandre each matched her with 13 points, propelling their team to a 74-62 triumph over Army on Sunday. This victory signifies Lehigh’s sixth win out of seven Patriot League championship games and sets the stage for their fifth NCAA Tournament appearance.
Lehigh demonstrated their dominance in the second half by outscoring Army 44-30, despite trailing by two points at halftime. Heading into the fourth quarter, they held a five-point lead, which widened following a 10-0 run. This crucial sequence saw contributions from five different players, culminating in a 3-pointer by Fandre, boosting Lehigh’s lead to 64-49 with just over three minutes remaining.
Ella Stemmer was another key player for the top-seeded Lehigh (27-6), adding 12 points alongside Remi Sisselman who scored 11. For Army, Trinity Hardy put up a determined effort with 20 points, followed by Camryn Tade with 17 and Fiona Hastick with 12.
Early in the game, Lehigh established a 25-14 advantage by scoring the opening 11 points of the second quarter. However, Army surpassed them by halftime, closing out the first half with an eight-point surge to lead 32-30. This burst included 3-pointers from Hastick and Tade plus a layup by Hardy. Tade continued her momentum into the third quarter with another 3-pointer, giving Army an initial lead of 35-30.
Lehigh, however, pushed back and managed to bridge the gap using two free throws by Whitney Lind to take a 38-37 lead. Stemmer’s three-pointer expanded their margin, securing a 50-45 upper hand heading into the final period. Lehigh has dominated their series against the Black Knights, boasting a 43-36 all-time record and securing victories in their last seven encounters, including three wins this season.
