PHILADELPHIA, PA- Junior guard Tyresa Smith (at right) literally stole the show as she made her 200th career steal and notched a team-high 12 points to lead the University of Delaware to its fifth straight victory over previously unbeaten Bowling Green State University, 48-44, Wednesday evening at the Saint Joseph’s Hawk Classic at Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse.

Smith was one of three Blue Hen scorers in double figures as junior Alena Koshansky scored 11 points and sophomore Melissa Czorniewy added 10. Koshansky hit 3 three-pointers and dished out four assists while Czorniewy added a team-high seven rebounds, three steals and three assists. Junior Chrissy Fisher had nine points and grabbed six rebounds and senior Arek Deng posted six points and six rebounds in the win.

Delaware, which received a vote in the USA Today ESPN Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll, now improves to 8-1 on the season.

Bowling Green, which was previously 8-0 and received four votes in the USA Today ESPN Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll, was led by Ali Mann who posted a game-high 14 points and Liz Honegger who tallied 12 points in the loss.

The Falcons took an early 10 point lead with 9:22 remaining in the first half, but a three-pointer by Koshansky at 9:06 cut the lead to seven.
The Blue Hens chipped away until the end of the first half heading into intermission down, 21-17.

Delaware took the lead, 31-30, with 12:33 left in the second half on Koshansky’s 3rd three-pointer of the game. Honegger would put Bowling Green ahead, 32-31, with 12:17 left to play, but seconds later a lay-up by Czorniewy would give the Blue Hens the lead for the remainder of the contest.

Delaware took its biggest lead of the game, 46-38, with 4:02 remaining on a three-pointer by Fisher. The Falcons cut the lead to two with 47 seconds left, but two free throws by Fisher gave the Blue Hens the win with 31 seconds remaining.

The Blue Hens will play host Saint Joseph’s, which defeated Iona College, 52-50, in the opening game, in the championship game tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. at Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse.

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