Daemen downs NDC, 68-58
Wildcats claw Falcons and retain North lead
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AMHERST, N.Y. – Notre Dame lost for just the second time in American Mideast Conference (AMC) North Division play on Saturday. The loss, however, came at the hands of their rivals for the top spot in the North, as Daemen College (NY) took one step closer to winning the divisional crown with a 68-58 victory in Amherst, N.Y.

Notre Dame (18-5, 8-2) shot an abysmal 15.8 percent (6-for-38) in falling behind the Lady Wildcats, 28-18, by halftime. The Falcons were not able to recover against the No. 19 team in the nation, as Daemen (19-5, 10-0) cruised to their 14th consecutive victory.

The Falcons were led by junior guard Molly Baker (Avon Lake, OH) and sophomore forward Kate Verhoff (Elyria, OH), who each scored 19 points on 7-of-22 shooting. The Falcons, as a team, shot 29.3 (22-for-75) percent from the floor. That marks their third-worst figure of the season. NDC was out-rebounded by Daemen, 57-38.

Junior forward Sarah Bogardus (Dunkirk, NY) led the Lady Wildcats' effort - the AMC's leading scorer (22.2 points per game) tallied 23 on Saturday afternoon. Sarah Soroka (Fr/East Aurora, NY) added 15 points and 13 boards for Daemen, which now holds a two-game lead over NDC in the AMC North.

The Falcons' next game is slated for Friday, Feb. 15 when they return to upstate New York to take on Roberts Wesleyan in Rochester. Friday's 5:30pm tilt will be the opener of a back-to-back on the road in New York - the Falcons will take on the Highlanders of Houghton College in Houghton, N.Y. on Saturday (Feb. 16).

NOTES FROM THE NEST...

TOP CATS: Daemen's 14-game win streak is the longest in the AMC this season. The Lady Wildcats have dominated league stats in addition to league standings - DC leads the circuit in field goal percentage (45.2 percent), free throw percentage (73.6 percent), rebounding (+7.6 per game), assists (20.3 per game), and blocked shots (6.0 per game). On Saturday against the Falcons, Daemen tallied 24 assists and 10 blocks. ... The defending AMC North champs are now 23-1 in division play over the last two seasons. ... The Lady Wildcats have won four conference titles and participated in five NAIA National Tournaments since 1996, including the last three in a row.

SERIES: Daemen has now beaten NDC in three straight meetings and 10 of the last 11. ... Sarah Bogardus came into Saturday's game ranked fourth in the nation in scoring. The junior from Dunkirk, N.Y. has led the Lady Wildcats in scoring in 19 of their 24 games.