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GWYNEDD-VALLEY, Pa. (March 1) - With two players in double-figures, the Cabrini College women's basketball team captured their first PAC title in almost a decade with a 74-72 win over two-time defending champion Gwynedd-Mercy this evening.  The Cavaliers earn the league's automatic bid to the 2008 NCAA Division III Championships and will find out their fate tomorrow evening.

The Cavaliers will be making their fifth trip to the NCAA Championships with their last appearance coming in 1999.

Sophomore Deana DiAmico was named the conference championship's Most Valuable Player after scoring 12 points and adding five rebounds.  DiAmico converted one of two free throws with less than 20 seconds remaining in the contest to set the final margin and scored all 12 of her points in the second half including a decisive three-pointer with 2:17 left to give the Cavaliers the lead for good.

Junior Brittany McLeod led the Cavaliers with 13 points and was one rebound shy of a double-double with nine.  Sophomore Alyssa Brady  recorded three blocks and added nine points and two assists.

Back-to-back three-pointers from Cabrini in the first half helped erase a 21-20 Gwynedd-Mercy lead, where the Cavs would stretch their lead to as much as nine, with just over two minutes in the stanza. Two Griffins player would each hit two times from the line to cut the deficit to 37-32 at the break.

In the second half, GMC's Karen Tierney’s lay-up off a steal with 13:49 gave Gwynedd its first lead (46-44) since early in the first, but Cabrini answered a trifecta on the next possession from Katie Frinfrock to reclaim the lead.

The Griffins would push ahead and lead by as much as 63-57 as Lauren Rosar hit one of two from the stripe.

DiAmico started the rally hitting her first three-pointer and with two free throws from Frinfrock, cut the Griffin lead to 63-62 with 6:12 in the game.

Tierney would score a tough layup inside with just under a minute left to cut it 73-72 before DiAmico would hit one of two free throws to set up the final conclusion as the Griffiths' field goal attempt with just two seconds left on the clock fell short.

The Cavaliers shot 41.0% (25-of-61) from the field and knocked down seven three-point field goals.

The Griffins held a 44-40 edge in rebounds, including 17 offensive, with Lauren Rosar leading all players with 12.

Gwynedd-Mercy's Tierney scored a game-best 29 points with a 10-of-22 performance from the field and eight free throws.

NCAA First Round games will be played starting Wednesday, March 5.