March 20, 2008

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BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - Visiting Dayton saw the best season in school history come to an end on Thursday to Bowling Green, 64-52, in the first round of the Women's National Invitational Tournament.

Dayton was led by senior Nikki Oakland who finished with 14 points and seven boards. She was complemented by classmate Karah Cloxton who also had 14 points in the game.

The Flyers shot 47-percent from the field knocking down 20 field goals while the Falcons dropped in only 34-percent of their field goals.

However, a large turnover deficit plagued UD in the game. Dayton turned the ball over 26 times in their loss, having 10 balls stolen away, while Bowling Green allowed 11 turnovers and five steals in the contest.

UD finished the season with a school-Division I record 25 victories and made just their second ever trip to the postseason. The Flyers also earned their first ever votes in the AP Top 25 Poll and advanced to the A-10 Semifinals for the second time in program history.

"We are such a better team than when we came in as a freshman and we came in to change this program around," Oakland said. "Even though we didn't make it through this game we have done so much to make this program better."

The Flyers got off to an early 5-0 advantage off of a long range three-pointer and a layup. Bowling Green's Crystal Murdaugh answered back to put the Falcons on the board.

A pair of free-throws by Ashley Armstrong extended the lead for the Flyers at the 15:51 mark, 7-2. Karah Cloxton added to the lead with another bucket, before BG's Lauren Prochaska hit a long jump shot to cut into the lead.

The Falcons clawed their way back in to knot the game up at nine with a layup by Achter with 11:27 left in the half. After going more than four minutes without a bucket, the Flyers were able to put one to regain the lead 11-9.

Bowling Green's Lindsey Goldsberry hit a three at the six-minute mark to knot the game up once more for the tie, 17-17.

The Flyers looked to cut into BG's 26-20 lead out of the media timeout with a pair of foul shots drawing them within four. The Flyers then hit another bucket to make it a two point game.

UD trailed heading into the locker room in part to a last second three-pointer from Goldsberry, 31-24.

Trailing by 13, the Flyers led by Cloxton dropped in their first three points of the half. Brittany Holterman continued the surge with under 17-minutes left in regulation.

With under 12-minutes left in the game Kiki Lund attempted to ignite the Dayton offense nailing a three-pointer making it a 45-38 game.

UD pulled within six points of the lead with just under six minutes left in the game before Bowling Green answered with a layup of their own and the Flyers would get no closer in losing by 11 points.